High Speed Network (Hansard, 11 June 2002)

§ Mrs. May
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been set aside as part of(a) the SRA Plan and (b) the 10-Year Plan for the implementation of the EU directives on interoperability on the high speed network. [60413]

§ Mr. Jamieson
Neither the 10-Year Plan or the SRA Strategic plan identify specific sums for implementing the high speed interoperability directive which does not, in itself, require projects to be initiated. However, new high speed projects will have to comply with the Directive and the cost of implementation will he taken into account when those projects are developed.

§ Mrs. May
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the costs of implementing the EU directives on interoperability on the high speed network. [60411]

§ Mr. Jamieson
I refer the hon. Member to the regulatory impact assessment produced in support of the Railways (Interoperability) (High-Speed) Regulations 2002 implementing the high-speed interoperability directive, a copy of which was placed in the Libraries of the House on 25 April 2002.

§ Mrs. May
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage of the possible costs for implementing the EU directives on interoperability on the high speed network, that will be borne by(a) the Government, (b) the successor to Railtrack, (c) the SRA, (d) freight rail companies and (e) passenger rail companies. [60412]

§ Mr. Jamieson
No assessment has been made of the potential allocation of costs arising from implementation of the high speed interoperability directive which does not, in itself, require projects to be initiated. However, new high speed projects will have to comply with the directive and, to the extent that this results in costs being incurred by network or train operators (which will vary from project to project), those costs will be taken into account in the railway funding and charging regime in the usual way.