Government to consult on package of measures to reduce taxation for motorists;
Remove fuel duty on lead replacement petrol;
Extend reduced rate of vehicle excise duty to cars of up to 1500cc
|
6.3.1
|
Achieved - Since Budget 2000, there has been a real terms duty cut of about 6 pence per litre in petrol and diesel rates. |
March 2003 |
 |
DfT/ TET
|
| The Government also committed itself to the introduction in January 2005 of a reduced rate for bioethanol, a petrol supplement. |
January 2005 |
“LPG Boost" initiative to increase profile of LPG and the availability of high quality new and retro-fitted LPG vehicles, particularly in rural areas.
|
February 2002 |
 Extended up to 1549cc. |
November 2000 |
| Graduated scheme for new cars based on CO2 emissions, not engine size. |
March 2001 |
| Enhanced Capital Allowances introduced for cars emitting less than 120g CO2/km |
April 2002 |
Discuss options for car-clubs and car-sharing schemes with the Motorists’ Forum
|
6.3.2
|
Working with Motorists' Forum on joint research into scope for car clubs and car-sharing Final report published by Forum |
May 2002 |
|
DfT - LTP
|
| Government response to Forum report Action completed |
Dec 2002 |
Establish at least one Rural Transport Partnership (RTP) per county.
Establish up to 500 new Transport projects over next three years, including car-based schemes
|
6.3.4 & 6.3.2
|
89 partnerships established (all rural counties covered by target date). |
Aug 03 |
|
Countryside Agency
|
| 791 (Dec 2003) new projects agreed. 68 projects set up between Sept 03 to Dec 03. 13 pilot rural car clubs. |
Dec 03 |
| Work to evaluate the projects funded by the scheme is completed. The results have informed a succession strategy approved by the Countryside Agency Board. |
Dec 03 |
Evaluate the existing ‘Wheels to Work’ scheme
|
6.3.4
|
Evaluation completed. |
Mar 02 |
|
Countryside Agency
|
| Good practice guidance launched and RWP commitment met. |
Jul 02 |
| Work is ongoing to mainstream this project and an initial meeting with DfES/Connexions /DfT was held in February 2003. |
Feb 03 |
| 2 further meetings have taken place. |
Apr 03 |
| Work continues to find a “champion” to promote this scheme, and applications for external funding are underway. |
Aug 03 |
| Funding for national W2W co-ordinator post agreed and recruitment is underway. DWP and DfES have expressed support for W2W schemes and have requested our proposals for their possible involvement in mainstream funding. |
Dec 03 |
New £15m Parish Transport Fund
|
6.3.5
|
Parish Transport Grants Scheme announced. |
Mar 01 |
|
Countryside Agency
|
| First grant offered. |
Aug 01 |
| Great Ways to Go - a guide for Parish and Town Councils launched (this also went to a wider audience). |
Aug 01 |
| Targeted joint mail shot with NALC to all Parish and Town Councils. |
Sept 01 |
| 433 parishes in receipt of grants. |
Aug 03 |
| 459 parishes in receipt of grants. |
Dec 03 |
| Taxi Voucher Scheme Good Practice Report produced. |
Dec 03 |
Continue Rural Bus Subsidy Grant until at least 2004 with up to £132m available over next 3 years, reviewing criteria to broaden the scheme
|
6.4.2
|
Budget 2003 announced extension of RSBG until 2005/6, with broadened scope. |
March 2003 |
|
DfT - BT
|
| Consulted on increasing maximum length of contracts. Change to be included in Regulatory Reform Order as soon as practicable |
February 2004 |
Rural Bus Challenge funding to continue for next 3 years, with min of £20m each year
|
6.4.4
|
2003 Challenge - competition results to be announced |
January 2004
|
|
DfT - BT
|
New guidance on what the law already allows on flexible public transport services
|
6.4.8
|
Commitment fulfilled. New guidance on Flexible Transport Services, with good practice examples, published and distributed widely. Action completed. |
July 2002
|
|
DfT-BT
|
Relaxation of registration requirements to encourage flexibly-routed services and wider role for community transport.
|
6.4.9/ 6.4.11
|
Consultation paper on proposed changes published |
August 2002 |
|
DfT-BT |
| Ministerial agreement obtained following further round of consultation |
April 2003 |
| Aim to have revised regulations in place |
February 2004 |
 |
| Flexible Regulations came into force on 23 February 2004 |
February 2004 |
|
Broaden eligibility for Fuel Duty Rebate to include community transport.
|
6.4.11
|
Regulations introduced providing a new entitlement to fuel duty rebate for a wide range of community transport services. Action completed |
May 2002 |
|
DfT -BT
|
Consider changes to the rules to allow expansion of community transport
|
6.4.11
|
Develop consultation proposals for a review of the regulatory regime
|
Mid 2004 |
|
DfT- BT
|
|
Additional Funding of £200,000 over 3 years to support Community Rail Partnerships |
6.4.16
|
Grant of £197,750 awarded to Association of Community Rail Partnerships to support development of rail partnerships: |
|
|
Countryside Agency and partners
|
| 15 small projects (up to £15,000) have been awarded; |
Sept 02 |
| Supporting existing rail partnerships to deliver effectively and 4 training events have taken place to date; |
Ongoing to Mar 03 |
| 1 new partnership established in each year of 3-year programme and a further 5 potential partnerships identified for future development by grant end. |
End 03 - 04 |
A fast track Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) bidding process and fund more RPP projects
|
6.4.17
|
However, for budgetary reasons the SRA suspended the RPP scheme in January 2003. The SRA is seeing through existing commitments and approvals, which include schemes in rural areas.
|
March 2001
|
 |
DfT/ SRA
|
Explore how Local Transport Plans (LTPs) can be used to highlight best practice in tackling rural transport issues
|
6.5.2 and 6.5.3
|
Cornwall centre of excellence for integrated rural transport launched. |
2001 |
|
DfT – LTP |
| Guidance on good practice was launched on the Agency website on 17 March 2003. A revised more user-friendly version is due to be available in Jan 04. |
Mar 03 |
Countryside Agency |
| The printed version was published in June. |
Jun 03 |
| Eight regional seminars to promote good practice took place between July and October. |
Jul – Oct 03 |
| · Further work is planned to influence the next round of LTPs including targeted briefings and a further series of seminars. |
Dec 03 |
Local Authorities given power to require bus companies to provide and display service information
|
6.5.3
|
Achieved - Enacted in Transport Act 2000
|
Nov 2000 |
|
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister /
|
Produce a simpler system of setting speed limits in rural areas
|
6.6.2
|
Sought views of practitioners on proposed system. |
End 2001 |
 |
DfT – RSD
|
| Report on rural road hierarchy. Published and available on DTLR Website under road safety |
Nov 2001 |
| Consultation on revised guidance on setting speed limits |
Summer 2004 |
Issue guidance on 30mph speed limits in villages
|
6.6.2
|
Engage in consultation with relevant bodies to develop proposals. |
|
|
DfT - RSD
|
| Issued guidance to local authorities in January 2004. |
Early 2004 |
Increased LA action on traffic calming measures in their capital programmes
|
6.6.2
|
Achieved - Enforcement of guidance already issued. Action complete |
April 2001
|
|
DfT
|
Extend the pilot speed cameras scheme in rural areas
|
6.6.2
|
Results of the first year's operation of pilot schemes of new funding system published.
Minister announced national rollout of netting off system. |
August 2001 |
|
DfT
|
| Partnerships have continued to join the scheme: 25 police force areas out of 51 in England, Scotland and Wales will be part of the scheme which covers all areas urban and rural. |
April 2002 |
| 42 police forces accepted on to the programme |
April 2003 |
| 46 out of the 51 of the police force areas in GB have joined the netting off scheme and a further 2 are expected to join through the course of this year. |
April 2004 |
Develop measures for reducing vehicle speeds
|
6.6.2
|
Issue guidance on newly identified measures |
April 2003 |
|
DfT |
| Continue development of additional measures Announcement of Capital Modernisation Fund £30 million challenge funding for Home Zone schemes in England, which aims to improve quality of life in residential streets. |
Ongoing
April 2001 |
DfT-CLT |
| Successful schemes announced in January 2002 are now being implemented |
Ongoing |
Build some 50 new bypasses
|
6.6.3
|
Eleven trunk road bypasses have opened since 2002 and a further 3 bypass schemes are expected to be completed in the next 2 years. Since 2000 the Department for Transport has also provisionally or fully accepted for funding (subject to completion of statutory procedures) 79 major local road schemes, including 18 bypasses. |
Ongoing
2003-04 |
|
DfT |
Reduce the impact of lorry traffic on rural roads
|
6.6.5
|
Local authorities have produced vehicle routing and management strategies, designed to mitigate the environmental and social impact of vehicle movement, in their LTPs. We are encouraging continued development of freight quality partnerships and will continue to work with business and the distribution industry to reduce the number of vehicle journeys required. |
Ongoing
|
|
DfT – FL
|
Clause in Transport Act 2000 to give legal status to Quiet Lanes
|
6.6.7
|
Draft regulations expected Summer 2003. |
Late 2003 |
|
DfT-CLT
|
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