§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of funds raised by local authorities from proposals in the White Paper on transport will be available for reinvestment in local transport plans. [51976]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonDetails will be published in due course.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to paragraph 3.210 of the White Paper, A New Deal for Transport, if the duty given to the Strategic Rail Authority to consider rail access to major ports will encompass Newhaven. [51947]
§ Angela EagleIn principle, yes.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the rail investment proposals within the White Paper, A New Deal for Transport, will provide for the reopening of disused rail lines. [51967]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Franchising Director will control additional funds vis two new schemes. The Infrastructure Investment Fund will relieve infrastructure "pinch points" on the network which could not be tackled without additional public sector financial support. The Passenger Rail Partnership is designed to encourage and 679W support innovative proposals at the regional and local level that develop rail use and promote modal shift. Such proposals could include new or enhanced local rail services, better facilities for passengers and re-opening of disused lines.
Details of the operation of the proposed schemes will be announced in the Autumn. Meanwhile, local authorities are encouraged to submit to the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising proposals consistent with out integrated transport policies.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what will be the dates of the consultation process relating to the implementation of proposals set out in the White Paper on transport. [51977]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonA number of further documents have been promised and we will be publishing the first of these shortly. Others will follow over the summer and through to the end of the year.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to paragraph 2.36 of the Comprehensive Spending Review and to the Transport White Paper, if he will estimate what revenues will be raised from (i) charges on parking spaces and (ii) charges for road access or congestion charges, in each of the years 1998–99 to 2005–06. [51950]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Table under paragraph 2.36 of the Comprehensive Spending Review estimated, for indicative purposes, that some £1 billion in transport investment might be funded by new revenue streams by 2005–06. This assumes that local authorities and others respond positively to the new powers, subject to the necessary legislation being in place. The actual revenue raised, the yearly income profile, and the proportions that will come from road user charging and from workplace parking charges, will depend upon the level and speed of take-up. We shall be consulting in due course on the detail of how schemes will be implemented.