§ 28. Mr. Ian BruceWhen he will make a decision on the financing of the Dorchester relief road in Weymouth; and if he will make a statement. [30649]
§ The Minister of Transport (Dr. Gavin Strang)The Government's priorities for investment in local road schemes, including the Dorchester relief road, will be decided in the context of the new appraisal framework that we are developing in the trunk roads review.
§ Mr. BruceI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his non-answer. I approached the Government about the scheme, which was waiting for them on 1 May. They decided that they wanted an integrated transport solution to be proposed by Dorset county council. The council rewrote its bid and submitted it to the Government on a tight deadline, spending probably tens of thousands of pounds, but the Minister's Department did not even send it to the Treasury task force for private finance initiative bids, further delaying the scheme. What is the reason for that prevarication; for the extra money being spent by local government; and for the lack of a decision from the Government?
§ Dr. StrangSurely the hon. Gentleman is aware that the Government are implementing the manifesto commitment to conduct a fundamental review of our roads programme; to decide what role roads play in an integrated transport policy; and to determine what criteria should be taken into account in choosing which roads to give priority to. In the business plan for its proposed PFI scheme, Dorset county council envisages signing the contract in 1999–2000.