This is a joint Press Release by Department for Transport Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister
The DTLR made important progress over the past year to improve local communities
and invest in the country's transport infrastructure.<P< p> >The DTLR's
annual report, published today, sets out the Department's achievements between
31 March 2001 and 31 March 2002. It reports on the Department's progress against
the targets in its Public Service Agreements (PSAs).
Key achievements highlighted include:
- Over 1,000 units of new railway rolling stock brought into use during
2001-02
- Long term decline in bus use halted - 29 million more bus journeys in
the 2000-01
- 94 major local road and public transport schemes approved - including
six new light rail lines
- 57 per cent of new homes now on Brownfield sites - on track to meet 60
per cent target by 2008
- 85 neighbourhood warden schemes - with 700 street wardens - funded to
help make communities safer by tackling anti-social behaviour
- the number of people sleeping rough reduced by 71 per cent - 530 people
sleeping rough in England on any one night compared to the baseline of 1,850
- £250 million put into the 'starter homes initiative' - established
to help over 10,000 key workers purchase homes within a reasonable distance
of their workplace
- £125m committed to ensure that no homeless family with children
lives in B&B accommodation by 2004
- the central grant to local authorities increased by 7.8 per cent
- Best value regime improving council's performance. In many cases the
gap between the best and the worst is closing
- the number of accidental deaths by fire reduced - on target to deliver
a 20 per cent reduction by 2004
Following restructuring on 29 May 2002, DTLR responsibilities have been split
between the newly-formed Department for Transport and the Office of the Deputy
Prime Mi
