§ 223. Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the date, amount awarded and brief descriptions of each project where application for a section 56 grant under the Transport Act 1968 has been successful; if he will list each unsuccessful application; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanSince 1985, when such grants became available for large new public transport infrastructure projects, the following grants have been awarded.
Project Date approved Grant £ million Merseyrail safety work March 1989 0.3 Manchester Metrolink light rail scheme October 1989 53.0 South Yorkshire Supertram light rail scheme December 1990 165.0 Ivanhoe Line heavy rail restoration scheme January 1992 15.0 1 Provisional figure. In addition grant of £0.75m was approved in October 1991 for development work on the plans for Midland Metro Line One, a proposed light rail scheme.
Five unsuccessful applications have been made: Merseyside centralised signalling system, Manchester to Blackpool electrification, trolleybuses in West Yorkshire, Halifax bus station, and the extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro to Newcastle airport. Credit approvals were however provided for three of these projects.
We are prepared to grant-aid worthwhile schemes subject to the availability of resources.