HC Deb 08 September 2003 vol 410 cc275-6W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the change in(a) the number of passenger journeys and (b) passenger mileage has been on supported bus services in Merseyside from 2000–01 to 2002–03. [128582]

Mr. McNulty

The Department does not collect information on the number of passenger journeys on supported services or passenger mileage on those services in Merseyside.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age of buses in Merseyside is; and whether there has been a change in the average age of buses in Merseyside over the last two years. [128583]

Mr. McNulty

DVLA records for Public Service Vehicles registered in Merseyside showed an average age of 8.4 years in 2000. The average age was 8.7 years in 2002.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many CCTVs are in use on supported buses in Merseyside. [128584]

Mr. McNulty

The Department does not collect information on the number of CCTV cameras or recording equipment fitted to buses.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many low floor wheelchair accessible vehicles are used on supported services in(a) Merseyside and (b) Sefton. [128585]

Mr. McNulty

Merseytravel advise that all the vehicles used on their supported services are low floor and wheelchair accessible. This equates to approximately 270 vehicles across the county of Merseyside, of which approximately 60 are used on routes which, at some point, pass through the district of Sefton.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rate of(a) punctuality and (b) reliability of Merseyside supported bus services was in the last year for which figures are available. [128586]

Mr. McNulty

The Department does not collect information on bus punctuality. Bus reliability is measured in a quarterly survey through a panel of large bus operators, but was not designed to show reliability in each Passenger Transport Authority area or to distinguish the reliability of supported bus services from the reliability of commercial bus services.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to reduce environmentally harmful emissions from supported bus services in Merseyside. [128587]

Mr. McNulty

The Government's measures to promote the shift to environmentally clean low-carbon vehicles and fuels include the 'TransportEnergy' programmes, which include financial support for bus and other transport operators to purchase or convert to cleaner fuels or vehicle technology.

TransportEnergy has supported the purchase of four CNG (compressed natural gas) buses and the retrofitting of 80 buses with pollution reduction devices by the Merseyside Passenger Transport Executive.