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 Minister.