§ 68. Mr. Jack ThompsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to improve the road system in the north-east region.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe northern region has 18 schemes in the national roads programme at a current96W projected cost of £170 million. Spending on all schemes, national regional and maintenance, in the current year is estimated at over £50 million. The Department is also contributing in this financial year over £12 million in transport supplementary grant to assist local authorities in the region of constructing roads of more than local importance.
§ 75. Ms. ArmstrongTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of his plans to improve the road system in north-east England.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Department's plans for developing the road infrastructure in the northern region are concentrated on the provision of a new north-south bypass to the west of Newcastle; the systematic improvement of the A1 north of Morpeth and the two main east-west routes—the A66 and A69; and the improvement of the main national routes into the area from the south. Other important schemes planned to start during the next few years include a western bypass of Durham City on the A167 and a bypass of Kenton Bank Foot and Woolsington on the A696.