HL Deb 13 December 2004 vol 667 cc64-5WA
Lord Faulkner of Worcester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to replace busy railway level crossings with bridges on high speed lines. [HL196]

Lord Davies of Oldham

This is an operational matter for Network Rail, as the infrastructure manager. Network Rail regularly risk assesses and looks at the needs at each particular crossing.

Lord Faulkner of Worcester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What discussions they have had with Somerset County Council on the replacement of the level crossing at Silk Mills Lane, Taunton, with an overbridge. [HL197]

Lord Davies of Oldham

Since September officials at the Department for Transport have been in discussion with Somerset on the final appraisal of the north-west Taunton package following appoval of the compulsory purchase order for the scheme. In addition the department has received a letter from Councillor Carroll and an email from the leader of the council, both dated 8 November, which set out Somerset's position in relation to the scheme.

Lord Faulkner of Worcester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What evaluation they have carried out of the time-saving and safety benefits which would follow the replacement of the level crossing at Silk Mills Lane, Taunton, with an overbridge. [HL198]

Lord Davies of Oldham

The replacement of the level crossing at Silk Mills Lane, Taunton, with an overbridge was assessed as part of the north-west Taunton package (NWTP), which the Government announced had been given full approval to proceed on 2 December. This scheme comprises a number of elements:

  • A new park and ride site on the outskirts of Taunton;
  • Replacement of the rail level crossing with a bridge;
  • Various junction improvements and bus priority measures within Taunton.

The major scheme proposal was appraised using the department's new approach to appraisal (NATA) criteria. Since the NWTP was assessed as a whole rather than in its constituent parts, exact figures for the safety and time-saving benefits attributable to the proposed new bridge cannot necessarily be separated out.

Safety benefits were claimed and accepted by the Department for Transport for the scheme as a whole. The main reason given in justification of these claimed benefits is that, compared with the situation predicted without the scheme, the reduction in the number of vehicles on the local road network arising from the package of measures would reduce the road-based accident rate.

Time saving benefits associated with the scheme arise in part from the highway improvements, which include the new bridge. A considerable proportion of the total highway benefit claimed is due to the introduction of the bridge, as the bridge removes the delay caused by traffic having to wait at the level crossing.