HC Deb 06 December 2001 vol 376 cc443-4W
Mr. Page

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 27 November 2001,Official Report, column 750W, on the underground environment, if he will list the equipment used to measure the factors to make up the values of QUTAS j and QUTAS k; and which factors will be the product of human judgment. [20548]

Mr. Jamieson

This is a matter for London Underground. I understand that QATAS j and QATAS k represent scores for different aspects of the passenger environment on the underground. The attributes included in QATAS j are measured by Mystery Shopper Surveys. The attributes included in QATAS k include public address audibility, ride quality, in-car noise, train lighting and in-car heating and ventilation. London Underground intends that these should be measured by physical tests, using the appropriate equipment for measuring these attributes. Initially, however, they too will be tested using mystery shopping techniques.

Mr. Page

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 27 November 2001,Official Report, column 750W, on the underground environment, what are the (a) values and (b) limits of the letters applied to the weights which are in turn applied to London Underground to calculate a weighted average. [20547]

Mr. Jamieson

This is a matter for London Underground. The letters referred to represent different attributes of the passenger environment of the underground. Where these attributes are measured by Mystery Shopper Surveys then they are scored out of 10. Where they are measured by physical tests, the attributes are given a score between 0 and 100. The weights applied to these attributes are calculated by London Underground according to the importance given by passengers to the attribute and the station or train on which the attribute is being measured. A higher weight is given to busier stations and trains on more heavily used lines.