§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what forecast his Department has made of how the number and extent of delays on London Underground will be reduced following the start of the new investment programme in 1998 and for each year over the next five years. [37269]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonNo such forecast has been made by my Department. We recently announced additional funding of £365 million for London Transport over the next two years. This will boost total investment in the existing network to £1 billion over two years. It is now for London Underground to assess how best to tailor its investment programme. The need to improve the service to passengers by reducing delays will be a key factor in this assessment. In the longer term, our plans for a public-private partnership will result in the elimination of the Underground's investment backlog, address the root cause of delays, and result in an improved service for all passengers.
§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many delays to London Underground services have been caused by(a) broken rails, (b) signal failures, (c) obstructions on the track and (d) all causes in total, for each of the last five years. [37271]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI understand from London Underground that the information requested is as shown in the table.
Cause of delay 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 Broken/cracked rails 31 8 30 22 147 Signalling 1,783 1,718 1,862 1,891 9,435 Objects on track 217 208 248 327 314 All causes 35,952 34,150 34,463 34,767 38,840
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives he has taken to assist(a) women with young children and (b) pregnant women who must find alternative modes of transportation due to the travelling conditions on the London Underground. [37501]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonIt is the Government's aim to make the Underground available to all, and our plans for a public-private partnership will help achieve that aim. But we do recognise that the Underground can currently be difficult for some groups of passengers to use. London Underground staff make every effort to assist passengers to use the system, but some still prefer to use other modes of transport. These passengers benefit from the substantial improvements to the capital's bus network which London Transport is making. Over 400 new single-deck, low-floor vehicles are already in service. These buses have no steps at the doorways and "kneeling" suspension which means that passengers can get on and off more easily. Low-floor double-deck buses are scheduled to enter service for the first time later this year.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the conditions for(a) women with young children and (b) pregnant women travelling on the London Underground. [37502]
7W
§ Ms Glenda JacksonLondon Underground is the oldest, and one of the deepest, underground systems in the world. Virtually the entire network was designed at a time when little or no thought was given to personal mobility. The Government recognise that, combined with the backlog of essential maintenance which has built up and the very crowded conditions on some parts of the network at peak times, this means some passengers find the Underground less easy to use than they would wish.
The Government wish to see a modern, high quality Underground which is available to everyone. That means tackling the investment backlog and improving accessibility. The Jubilee Line Extension will feature step-free access at all the new stations. London Underground also has plans for developing a network of 60 fully accessible stations and my right hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister has asked them to look at how these plans can be accelerated. But to achieve a radical improvement will require a massive long-term investment programme. This will be delivered by our plans for a public-private partnership, under which the private sector will raise the funds needed to modernise the network and provide improved conditions for all.