The proposal for a national policy statement on ports

The proposal for a national policy statement on ports

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2010-03-17

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 9780215544810

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National Policy Statements (NPS) are a key component of the new planning system for nationally significant infrastructure projects, introduced by the Planning Act 2008. The Act stipulates that a proposal for a National Policy Statement will be subject to public consultation and allows for parliamentary scrutiny before designation as national policy by the Secretary of State. The draft Ports National Policy Statement (Department for Transport, 2009) has been welcomed by many organisations as a good start which can be built upon. The Committee has recommended a number of modifications and expects the Department will improve the draft as a result of the consultation and scrutiny processes. The Committee has reservations regarding the Government's 2007 policy for ports and the lack of guidance on location for port development in the NPS but this, of itself, does not make the NPS unfit for purpose. But the Committee cannot recommend designation at this stage on two counts. Firstly, a key, related policy statement - the National Networks NPS - has yet to be published. Secondly, the organisation likely to be one of the principal decision-makers for port development - the Marine Management Organisation - has yet to be established and so has been unable to comment on guidance that will be of great importance to its role. These are fundamental flaws in the consultation process and the Ports NPS should not be designated until they are rectified.


The proposals for national policy statements on energy

The proposals for national policy statements on energy

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Energy and Climate Change Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2010-03-23

Total Pages: 70

ISBN-13: 9780215545237

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proposals for national policy statements on Energy : Third report of session 2009-10, Vol. 1: Report, together with formal Minutes


HC 1135 - National Policy Statement on National Networks

HC 1135 - National Policy Statement on National Networks

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-07

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13: 0215071875

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The National Policy Statement on National Networks, published in draft for consultation (ISBN 9780108560071), sets out the policy against which decisions will be made on applications for development consent for nationally significant infrastructure projects on the strategic road and rail networks. The Committee has a number of detailed recommendations to improve the draft. The NPS should specify more types of transport scheme which the Government thinks are needed, such as enhancements to the rail network to promote east-west connectivity; better road and rail connections to ports and airports and to parts of the country which are currently not well served by those networks; and schemes to promote regional economic development. Criticisms of the DfT's road and rail demand forecasts should be addressed. Estimates of the impact on UK carbon emissions of building more road infrastructure are needed. Adverse impacts of major transport schemes on localities should be set out. The NPS should make explicit reference to the desirability of connecting HS2 to the classic rail network. Promoters of roads schemes must look to improve road safety (including for cyclists and pedestrians). The Government is seeking to accommodate increasing demand for roads by building more infrastructure rather than seeking to manage demand. Investment in the road network will require new funding streams, a challenge that must be addressed. However, a consensus would be required to introduce any road user charging scheme across the strategic road network as an alternative to road taxation.


Freight Transport

Freight Transport

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 9780215521941

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This is the 8th report from the Transport Committee (HCP 249, session 2007-08, ISBN 9780215521941) and focuses on freight transport. The Committee has set out 29 recommendations, including: that the Government needs to adopt a more proactive freight strategy, given there are significant economic and transport benefits to be gained; the Department of Transport should produce a national freight plan, setting out aspirations for the reduction in congestion and transport emissions, freight infrastructure and job opportunities and the development of future technologies that maybe beneficial for the freight business; that rail and water freight must be able to compete on a an equal footing with road transport; that the Government could do more to encourage waterborne freight transport; that Network Rail must recognise the importance of freight instead of treating it as the poor relation of passenger services; that the Government needs to engage with European freight schemes to ensure that UK business is not disadvantaged and further, highlight the importance of the UK air freight operators' competiveness with continental operators; the Government needs to discuss a way forward with the UK haulier industry, which the Committee sees as being unfairly treated through subsidising their continental competitors through high levels of taxation on fuel.


A Severn Barrage

A Severn Barrage

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Energy and Climate Change Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-06-10

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 9780215058843

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Hafren Power's proposal for an 18km fixed tidal barrage across the Severn estuary between Brean in England and Lavernock Point in Wales is likely to require a very high level of support over many years. It is not believed at this stage that the barrage would be competitive with other low-carbon technologies. Hafren Power have failed to answer the serious environmental concerns about a potential barrage adequately. The scale of mitigation measures and compensatory habitat required is unprecedented, and questions remain about how a barrage such as the one proposed would comply with EU legislation. Tidal energy is a vast resource which remains largely untapped. However, tidal and marine projects must demonstrate their economic, environmental and technological credentials and their ability to gain stakeholder support. The Government should consider whether a smaller tidal facility could develop expertise and provide evidence before a decision about scaling up is taken. Although construction of the barrage would be privately financed, Government support would be required for approximately thirty years through Contracts for Difference (CfD) or a similar mechanism. The long lifecycle of a tidal barrage, thought to operate for over 120 years, could lower the overall levelised cost of energy but is far too distant a prospect to overcome more immediate concerns. The strike price required by Hafren Power is unknown, but the ability of the project to compete with other low-carbon forms of energy is questionable. The likelihood of a high strike price over many years risks eating up an excessively large proportion of the funds available under the Levy Control Framework


National policy statement for gas supply infrastructure and gas and oil pipelines (EN-4)

National policy statement for gas supply infrastructure and gas and oil pipelines (EN-4)

Author: Great Britain: Department of Energy and Climate Change

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2011-07-19

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 9780108510809

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This national policy statement (NPS) sets out national policy for gas supply infrastructure and gas and oil pipelines. A further five technology-specific NPSs for the energy sector cover: national policy for the energy infrastructure (EN-1) (ISBN 9780108510779); fossil fuel electricity generation (EN-2) (ISBN 9780108510786); renewable electricity infrastructure (EN-3) (ISBN 9780108510793); the electricity transmission and distribution network (EN-5) (ISBN 9780108510816); and nuclear power generation (EN-6) (ISBN 9780108510823). An impact assessment is also available (ISBN 9780108510830). The NPSs have effect on the decisions by the Infrastructure Planning Commission on application for energy developments. This statement outlines the Government's objectives for the power sector in order to meet its energy and climate change strategy. It sets out the need for new energy infrastructure and the assessment principles and generic impacts


Ports

Ports

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Transport Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 9780215020314

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Incorporating HC 788-i and ii of session 2001-02