§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to reverse the trend of freight movement from rail to road.
Year Total bonus payments £ million Number of contractors earning bonus Total charge payments £ million Number of contractors incurring charge 1988–89 3.6 11 0.10 1 1989–90 5.1 20 0.50 4 1990–91 6.5 31 0.60 3 1991–92 2.1 18 0.05 1 1992–93 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a = Figures not yet available.
The percentages of each year's lane rental contracts covered by these figures are: 1988–89, 100 per cent.; 1989–90, 90 per cent.; 1990–91, 80 per cent.; 1991–92, 38 per cent. The figures for 1989–90, 1990–91 and especially 1991–92 will therefore tend to increase as more final payments are made.
The ratio of traffic delay costs saved to net bonus payments made is of the order of five to one.