§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the average cost per mile of maintaining motorway fences in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. HoramHistoric information is not available. Expected expenditure for the current financial year is £149 a mile and in 1977–78 is estimated to be £201 a mile.
§ Mr. Maxwell-Hyslopasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the average cost per mile of repairs and maintenance to three-lane concrete motorways in (a) the first year of its life in service, (b) the second year of its life in service, (c) the third year of its life in service, (d) the fourth year of its life in service, (e) the fifth year of its life in service and (f) the sixth year of its life in service;
(2) what is the average cost per mile of repairs and maintenance to three-lane 522W motorways of flexible tar-bitumen construction in (a) the first year of its life in service, (b) the second year of its life in service, (c) the third year of its life in service, (d) the fourth year of its life in service, (e) the fifth year of its life in service, and (f) the sixth year of its life in service.
§ Mr. HoramThe cost of cyclic maintenance—sign cleaning, etc.—on motorways is £5,500 a mile which will be incurred from the date a motorway is open to traffic. The present day average cost of structural repairs on motorways of all ages is £13,350 a mile, and covers concrete and flexible construction. No cost is incurred on structural repairs in the first 12 months since the contractor is responsible for this. With either form of construction, substantial expenditure on structural maintenance within the following five years is exceptional.