Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Scottish Traffic Database has two automatic classifier sites on the A9 between Perth and Inverness at Birnam and Tomatin. The percentage of heavy goods vehicles at these sites is 13% and 19% respectively, based on data from all of 2004.

In addition, surveys of short duration were undertaken at 10 sites between Perth and Bruar in 2004. The percentage of heavy goods vehicles found in these surveys was between 10% south of Luncarty and 19% north of Bruar.

Information on the national average percentages of heavy goods vehicles on non-dual carriageway trunk roads is not currently published. However, a broad analysis of the information in the Scottish Roads Traffic Database suggests that the average figure is around 15% for single carriageway trunk roads in Scotland.

The level of traffic required before a trunk road is upgraded to dual carriageway has not been reassessed since Lewis Macdonald’s answer to question S1W-31635 on 28 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

The number of injury accidents that have been reported on the A9 between Keir roundabout at Dunblane and Broxden roundabout at Perth in each of the last five years (January 2000 to December 2004) is as follows:

Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight
2000	4	11	15
2001	4	9	30
2002	1	6	28
2003	5	4	45
2004	4	7	19
Total	18	37	137

 

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

The number of injury accidents that have been reported at the Auchterarder South junction on the A9 in each of the last five years (January 2000 to December 2004) is as follows:

Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight
2000	0	0	2
2001	0	1	1
2002	0	0	0
2003	0	0	0
2004	1	0	1
Total	1	1	4

 

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

The number of injury accidents that have been reported at the Aberuthven junction on the A9 in each of the last five years (January 2000 to December 2004) is as follows:

Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight
2000	0	0	0
2001	0	2	0
2002	0	0	2
2003	1	0	4
2004	0	0	0
Total	1	2	6

 

The figures quoted may differ slightly from those published elsewhere because they were extracted on a different date and the database may have changed between the two dates, e.g. due to late returns or corrections to earlier returns.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18866 on 23 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa/search.

I regret that some names were omitted from the list provided in answer to question S2W-18191. I am advised that the full list of organisations which expressed an interest in bidding for the new Northern Isles ferry contract is as follows:

ASP-Seascot Ship Management Ltd

Aberdeen Harbour Board

Adsteam (UK) Ltd

Anglo-Eastern Ship Management (UK)

Braeside Shipping

Burness

Caledonian MacBrayne

Clyde Marine Group

Harrisons (Clyde) Ltd

Irish Continental Group plc

Milford Haven Port Authority

Nor-Cargo Ltd

Northern Marine Management Ltd

NorthLink Orkney & Shetland Ferries Ltd

Orkney Islands Council

P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea) Ltd

Pentland Ferries Limited

Scot Ferries Ltd

Sea Containers

Serco Denholm

Smit International (Scotland) Ltd

Smyril Line Ltd, Shetland Isles

Stephenson Clarke Shipping Ltd

Streamline Shipping Group

V. Ships

Western Ferries.

In accordance with standard commercial practice, all three companies that have been invited to tender for the Northern Isles lifeline ferry contract will be expected to finance their own bidding costs. As its owners, we would be content for CalMac to use its cash reserves to finance bidding costs. However, we would expect that were the company’s bid to be successful, it would recover those bidding costs over the contract period, plus a return equivalent to the interest that might reasonably be expected were that amount of the company’s reserves to have been invested commercially over the contract period.

It would be prejudicial to CalMac’s commercial interests to disclose how much CalMac intended to spend on bidding costs. Comparable information from other bidders would not be available to CalMac and it is essential that all bidders should be treated equally.

The next Northern Isles contract has been offered for a period of six years, the maximum time allowable under the Community guidelines on state aid to maritime transport for a public service contract. The Executive expects that there will be a continuing need to support lifeline services to the Northern Isles for the foreseeable future, and that there will be a further competitive tender in time for the end of the next contract.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19153 on 21 September 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.