§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to ensure that all transportation studies on which road planning is based are published.
§ Mr. FowlerFor trunk roads, my aim is to make available as much relevant information as possible, subject always to the need to avoid causing unnecessary blight or breaching the confidence of834W others. While, for that reason, it may not be possible to publish certain studies, relevant information will be provided in connection with trunk road schemes on the basis set out in paragraph 31 of the report on the review of highway inquiry procedures—Cmnd. 7133.
Publication of studies commissioned by local authorities is a matter for them.
§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Transport whether he will ensure that, in any future publicly funded transportation studies, unfair comparisons are not made by using a public transport option which leaves out buses and trains in favour of unproven technology, and comparing it with traditional methods of road transport.
§ Mr. FowlerI shall seek to ensure that, in so far as I am responsible for such studies, they make fair comparisons between all the available options including, where appropriate, improvements to conventional public transport services.