§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what have been the environmental achievements of the designated Green Minister in his Department during the past year.
§ Mr. MacGregorSpeed limiters for new heavy goods vehicles were introduced on 1 August 1992. Certain existing vehicles over 16 tonnes will be required to have speed limiters from 1 August this year. These measures will improve fuel consumption and reduce emissions.
Since 31 December 1992 most new cars have required catalytic converters to meet tighter EC emission standards. The United Kingdom Government continues to press for even tighter emissions and noise standards for vehicles and to discuss with other member states and the Commission measures to improve the fuel efficiency of new cars.
In 1992–93 some £4 million was allocated for bus priority measures, which will encourage the use of buses. A further £15.5 million has been allocated for 1993–94.
At the beginning of March the Department published "The Good Roads Guide". The guide is aimed at professionals involved in the design of trunk roads. It is essentially a checklist and source book covering many of the issues that have to be tackled in designing roads to make them as environmentally satisfactory as possible.
693WWe are working on a number of other initiatives for 1993–94, including the publication of: an updated "Manual of Environmental Appraisal", "The Wildflower Handbook" and "The Design Guide for Environmental Barriers".