§ 7. Mr. Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale)What progress has been made on the trunk roads review; and if he will make a statement. [76311]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Calum Macdonald)Some useful suggestions were made during the recent public consultation. We are amending the framework for the appraisal of trunk road investment in Scotland to reflect those. The outcome of the review will be announced as soon as practicable.
From 1 July 1999, it will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
§ Mr. MorganIs the Minister aware that P and O has recently announced an order for a new conventional ferry for the Cairnryan-Larne route, which will have almost double the capacity of existing conventional ferries? Is he aware that there is the potential for 100-plus lorries to come ashore at Cairnryan and that that will add severely to the problems of the lorry convoy on the A75 and the accident rate? Will he undertake to take that new fact into account in the trunk roads review?
§ Mr. MacdonaldThat is an important announcement by P and O. I am sure that the hon. Gentleman will welcome it. The A75 as such is not part of the trunk roads review, but it is welcome news for the hon. Gentleman, because it means that we are able to go ahead with improvements that are planned, for example, in Glen. I hope to announce shortly that the money will be available to complete those improvements by the summer. The route action plan that we are working on for the whole of the A75 is still being developed, but, when that is completed, it will provide the basis for future investment on the A75.
§ Mr. Archy Kirkwood (Roxburgh and Berwickshire)What consultations has the Minister had with his English colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the proposals that they are considering to detrunk the English sections of the A7 and A68? Can he give the communities on the Scottish side of the border that are served by both those roads an assurance that any detrunking on the English side will not lead to a diminution in repair and maintenance and, indeed, in road improvement schemes for those two roads? Does he accept that, if he is not careful and gets past 12 July, difficult decisions may be left to someone else?
§ Mr. MacdonaldI can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance about the detrunking proposals. Having been in direct contact with DETR, he will know that the proposals are part of a wider proposal relating to England as a whole, allowing responsibility for trunk road maintenance to be shared by DETR and groups of local authorities in the regions. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that this will not have the impact that he and his constituents fear.