§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Pendolino trains operated by Virgin plc will be fitted with ERTMS. [104990]
§ Mr. JamiesonPendolinos will not be delivered with ERTMS already fitted but they have been designed to accommodate it.
§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the introduction of ERTMS following the European Directive requirement that ERTMS be fitted on railway lines being upgraded; and if he will list those lines on which the system(a) has been and (b) has not been installed during upgrade. [104991]
§ Mr. JamiesonIn his written statement on 5 February 2003 the Secretary of State informed Parliament that he had accepted the Health and Safety Commission's advice that Level 2 of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) is the best system for this country. This system, in a form suitable for the UK, is still at an early stage of development and not yet fitted to any UK line. Progress on UK development will continue through a single national programme that will be integrated and in step with European development of ERTMS and the associated specifications and operating rules.
§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the installation of ERTMS will commence on high speed lines; [104992]
(2) what arrangements have been put in place to ensure that ERTMS is fitted where there is future upgrading of railway lines. [104996]
§ Mr. JamiesonA single national programme for the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) will be drawn together by the Strategic Rail Authority to allow focused UK development of ERTMS. Implementation will be in accordance with a proper and affordable migration plan and in line with future upgrading of railway lines wherever possible.
§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the national programme for the development of ERTMS; and what its budget is. [104994]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) is developing the programme. The SRA has £5.875 million set aside for its development in the 2003–04 budget.
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§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what grounds he has rejected the setting of a statutory timetable for the installation of ERTMS as recommended by the Cullen report. [104997]
§ Mr. JamiesonIn his written statement on 5 February 2003 the Secretary of State informed Parliament that he accepted the Health and Safety Commission's (HSC) advice that the timetable for installing the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS), contained in Professor Uff and Lord Cullen's joint inquiry into train protection systems, was not viable. A copy of the HSC advice is in the Library.