HC Deb 28 October 1996 vol 284 cc313-4
4. Mr. Rendel

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision in relation to Government funding for the future transport requirements of Newbury and Thatcham. [564]

Mr. Watts

I expect to announce details of the local transport capital settlement for 1997–98 in December.

Mr. Rendel

Does the Minister agree that the plans that are being presented for traffic rearrangement in Newbury and Thatcham will ensure that the benefits to the environment that will be produced by the bypass, assuming that the plans can be financed, will last not merely for a year or two but will be retained for the long term?

Mr. Watts

It would be wrong of me to pre-empt the decisions that still have to be made about transport policies and programme bids. However, I agree that the completion of the bypass will present an opportunity to return Newbury to its people and to resolve the current traffic management problems by taking through traffic away.