HC Deb 02 July 2002 vol 388 cc79-80
8. Mr. James Gray (North Wiltshire)

How much will he spent on motorway improvements in the 10-year plan for transport. [63718]

The Secretary of State for Transport (Mr. Alistair Darling)

Road improvements are important. Some £59 billion has been set aside to be spent on roads, and 55 schemes—including 6 motorway schemes—are currently in the programme of improvements, one of which has been completed.

Mr. Gray

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that informative answer. He will know of the proposals of the south west area region multi-modal study, which include substantial work at junction 16 at Wootton Bassett in my constituency. The study cost some £1.5 million, and. I think, a total of some £30 million was paid to Messrs. Halcrow for carrying out these extensive studies. First, will the Secretary of State explain from which budget that £30 million comes? Secondly, will he tell us how much of the SWARMMS report, and of the other similar multi-modal reports elsewhere in England, will be funded? We all suspect that there will be warm words and more studies, but not much action.

Mr. Darling

The study to which the hon. Gentleman refers is being considered at the moment, and a recommendation will follow shortly. The money in relation to all that work comes from my Department.

Mrs. Anne Campbell (Cambridge)

When my right hon. Friend is considering future investment in motorways, will he examine carefully the balance between spending on motorways and spending on public transport schemes? I am thinking in particular of the proposed project to provide a guided bus between Cambridge and Huntingdon, which could be very effective in taking traffic off motorways and main trunk roads and putting people on public transport.

Mr. Darling

My hon. Friend raises an important point. It is important to strike the right balance between transport by car—road transport—and public transport, whether guided bus, rail or light rail. I have said on many occasions in the last month that it is important that we invest in both forms of transport. For some people, particularly those living in rural areas, a car is a necessity, and there are other people who need to use their cars to go to work. At the same time, it is important that, where we can encourage people to use public transport, we put in the investment to do so. The scheme to which my hon. Friend refers—the Cambridge to Huntingdon proposal—is one that we will consider, but it is important that we have a balanced approach.