Friday 14 December 2001
Written Answers to Questions (Continued)

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development what discussions have taken place with the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to ensure that the railway commuter potential of Mossley West and the adjoining Global Point Industrial site in Newtownabbey are fully explored.

(AQW 702/01)

The Minister for Regional Development (Mr Robinson): The railway halt at Mossley West will serve the Global Point Business Park and Translink has already asked the Park’s developer to take the position of the halt into consideration whenever the Park’s internal road network is being designed. Translink will also engage in more detailed discussions with the developer in due course in order to advertise widely the rail service, thereby maximising the Mossley West Halt’s commuter potential. I have not had any discussions with the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment on this matter.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to outline any plans he has to engage his Ministerial counterpart in the Scottish Parliament to discuss improvements to rail services from Larne and Stranraer.

(AQW 703/01)

Mr Robinson: I am keen to promote the transport links between Northern Ireland and Scotland and to encourage closer co-operation between my Department and the Scottish Executive on these matters. I recently had a preliminary discussion with the then Minister for Transport and Planning at the Scottish Executive regarding enhanced liaison between our departments and I intend to progress this issue with her successor in the near future.

Mr David Hilditch asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail (a) the number of bus depots currently used by Translink (b) the number of vehicles operating from them (c) their seating capacity and (d) the age of these vehicles.

(AQW 821/01)

Mr Robinson: Translink has advised that it operates some 25 bus stations or depots in Northern Ireland, 20 Ulsterbus, 4 Citybus and the Ulsterbus Tours Coaches Travel Centre. There are 1195 Ulsterbus vehicles and 264 Citybus vehicles with total seating capacities of some 59,625 and 12,866 respectively. The average age of the Ulsterbus fleet is 11.48 years while the average age of the Citybus fleet is 8.09 years.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail how his department assesses requests for pedestrian crossings.

(AQW 830/01)

Mr Robinson: My Department’s Roads Service receives a great many requests for the provision of controlled pedestrian crossing facilities. To ensure a consistent and equitable approach, requests are assessed using criteria based on national guidelines.

The procedure essentially involves an assessment of the number of pedestrians crossing the road and the volume of traffic using it. This information is used, by applying a prescribed formula, to establish the degree of pedestrian / vehicular conflict at the site in question. This acts as an initial sift, in that sites above a particular threshold figure are deemed to merit further consideration for a controlled crossing.

This further consideration takes into account a number of factors including vehicle speed, road geometry, proximity to shops, schools, community centres, hospitals etc, and accident history. Based on this detailed assessment potential sites are prioritised accordingly.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to outline the reasons why he did not proceed with the slip roads at Kingsway, as part of the M1/Westlink Road system.

(AQW 831/01)

Mr Robinson: My Department’s Road Service had originally included the provision of south-facing slip roads at Kingsway, Dunmurry, as part of its proposed package of improvement measures for the M1/Westlink. However, following the publication of the Environmental Statement and the draft Designation Order for Stage 1 of the proposed measures (i.e. the motorway improvements), Roads Service received a considerable number of responses from local residents expressing concern about the location of the proposed slip roads.

Subsequent Public Inquiries, into the Environmental Statements for Stage 1 and 2 (i.e. the Westlink improvements) were held late last year. In his reports on the Public Inquiries, the Inspector commented that he had concerns about the environmental impact of providing slip roads at Kingsway. Of major concern, was, the removal of the greater part of a belt of mature trees clearly damaging this scenic approach to the city. In considering these reports, my Department took account of the Inspector’s comments and decided that the slip roads should not be constructed as part of the M1/Westlink improvements.

I should point out that the Department’s decision does not necessarily rule out the possibility of providing south-facing slip roads in the Dunmurry area at some time in the future. I can assure you, however, that the views of local people will be sought and taken into account before any decision is made.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the cost of attacks by vandals on vehicles operating out of Translink bus depots in (a) Larne (b) Carrickfergus and (c) Newtownabbey; and to make a statement.

(AQW 843/01)

Mr Robinson: Translink estimate that in the 12 month period since December 2000 the costs of attacks by vandals on vehicles operating out of bus depots in Larne, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey are in the region of £6,000, £17,000 and £100,000 respectively. These costs include the repairing of broken windows, the replacement of seats and either the repair or replacement of other internal items of trim. In addition there are costs such as loss of revenue, claims for injury and time lost due to staff absences following attacks which are difficult to fully quantify but are nonetheless real.

I deplore and condemn without reservation these wanton acts of vandalism on public transport vehicles. The money that Translink has used to repair the vehicles could obviously have been much better utilised in improving services. Furthermore, these acts of vandalism do nothing to encourage the general public to utilise public transport. I will therefore continue to support Translink in its ongoing efforts to try and eradicate such problems.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development how many sections of trunk road were (a) opened and (b) significantly upgraded in order to increase capacity in each year since 1995.

(AQW 856/01)

Mr Robinson: My Department’s Roads Service has advised me that, since 1995, the capacity on the following sections of trunk road has been increased as a result of their opening or significant upgrading:

1995

• Newry Bypass (Stage 2) - Opened.
• Omagh Throughpass (Stage 2A) - Opened.

1996

• Newry Bypass (Stage 3) - Opened.
• Omagh Throughpass (Stage 2B) - Opened.

1997

• A5 Magheramason - Upgraded.

1998

• A509 Aghalane - Opened.
• Cross-harbour Link Road (M3 to Sydenham Bypass) - Opened.
• A26 Antrim to Ballymena (Stages 2 & 2A) - Upgraded.

1999

• A26 Wattstown Dualling - Upgraded.
• A2 Strand Road, Londonderry - Upgraded.

2000

• Dromore Inner Link - Opened.

2001

• A5 Leckpatrick - Upgraded.
• A26 Antrim to Ballymena (Stage 3) - Upgraded.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development to outline his position in relation to the securing of finance for the proposed E-way.

(AQW 860/01)

Mr Robinson: The Department’s present allocations for transport would be insufficient to provide support for the E-WAY project from the public purse. The capital costs alone are expected to be at least £25m.

My Department has set a strategic objective of developing a transportation system that will support the Regional Development Strategy. A key mechanism for achieving this lies in the development of a 10-year Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS). I will shortly finalise a proposed RTS that will be published for consultation in January. The piloting of a rapid transit system, such as E-WAY, is being considered for inclusion in the proposed Strategy.

Such an initiative could only proceed however, if a higher priority is assigned to transportation and additional public or private sector funds are secured.

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister for Regional Development to outline the process used by Translink to assess the current demand for a direct bus service between Coleraine and Belfast International Airport.

(AQW 864/01)

Mr Robinson: Translink has advised that it has assessed the demand for a direct bus service between Coleraine and Belfast International Airport by considering feedback from Passenger Focus Groups, advice from local communities and from Translink’s District Managers.

Mr Ken Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development what progress has been made to improve passenger safety on trains.

(AQW 877/01)

Mr Robinson: The A D Little Review of railway safety issued in March 2000 recommended replacement of old rolling stock, upgrading of significant stretches of track and the introduction of updated legislation. Since then the Assembly has allocated additional resources to enable Northern Ireland Railways to purchase 23 new train sets, to improve the most heavily used sections of track and to carry out urgent safety works. A new draft Railway Safety Bill, which is intended to provide a legislative base for modern, safe travel by railway, has been prepared and has been the subject of a public consultation exercise. The Bill has been amended as a result of the process and I hope to introduce the new Railway Safety Bill to the Assembly shortly.

Mr Mark Robinson asked the Minister for Regional Development what assessment he has made in relation to the impact of low cost airlines on the running costs of airports.

(AQW 878/01)

Mr Robinson: None. This is a commercial matter that the airports themselves must consider in negotiating terms for the use of their facilities by the airlines. My Department does however intend to examine the role played by low cost carriers as part of a wider planned study into the air transport market

Mr David McClarty asked the Minister for Regional Development to detail the total spend on road improvements in the East Londonderry constituency over the last three years and as a percentage of total road improvement spend province-wide over the same period.

(AQW 899/01)

Mr Robinson: My Department’s Roads Service does not maintain details of expenditure on road improvements on a parliamentary constituency basis. However, I am able to provide statistics for the district council areas of Limavady and Coleraine, which form the bulk of the East Londonderry constituency.

The table below shows Roads Service’s capital expenditure on major and minor road improvements. It should be noted, however, that major road improvements are prioritised on a country-wide basis and not on a Roads Service Divisional or district council basis, taking account of a broad range of criteria such as strategic planning policy, traffic flows, number of accidents, potential travel save times, environmental impact and value for money. While the actual spend on a major works scheme may be within one district council area, the benefits of such schemes are not confined to the district council or constituencies in which they are located.

Roads Service’s expenditure on minor road improvements includes minor works, accident remedial schemes, traffic calming, transportation measures and minor bridge strengthening. The resources available for such works are allocated to the 4 Roads Service Divisions and, in turn, apportioned across district council areas using appropriate indicators of need.

2. The overall salary costs of the above staff during the years in question were as follows:

1996/97:	£21,727,000
1997/98:	£21,662,000
1998/99:	£20,516,000
1999/00:	£23,242,000
2000/01:	£23,870,000

(c) The total number of staff in each non-industrial grade during the years concerned is as follows:

	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Chief Executive	1	1	1	1	1
Grade 5	5	4	5	6	6
Grade 6 and analogous	11	11	10	10	10
Grade 7 and analogous	40	37	39	39	41
DP, SPTO and analogous	95	98	102	108	115
Staff Officer, HPTO and analogous	171	172	179	173	183
EO1, PTO and analogous	370	342	347	346	345
EO2 and analogous	88	93	81	90	89
Asst. Scientific Officer	17	17	13	18	24
Administrative Officer and analogous	203	194	203	215	216
Administrative Assistant and analogous	150	163	150	140	131

3. For each of the relevant non-industrial grades, the salary bandings for the years in question are as follows: