§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the sufficiency of the personnel available to the Traffic Commissioner within the South Eastern and Metropolitan traffic areas. [124908]
§ Mr. HillThe level of resources, including the number of staff, required to support the Traffic Commissioner for the South Eastern and Metropolitan Traffic Area is assessed each year as part of the normal budgeting process. More generally, the Traffic Area Network is engaged in a major modernisation programme—called TAN 21—designed to equip all the Traffic Area Offices across the country with up to date management and business systems. This has involved a fundamental review of all the business processes carried out in the offices. The aim is to provide improved support to the Traffic Commissioners and a better customer service to the commercial transport industries.