HC Deb 20 December 1990 vol 183 cc285-6W
Mr. Terry Davis

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the technical matters which needed to be resolved before work on a replacement structure at the Gravelly hill interchange of the M6 motorway could begin and were still to be resolved on 28 November; and who has been responsible for the resolution of these technical matters.

Mr. Chope

By 28 November the only outstanding matters were the refinement of the repair options and the assessment of the sub-structure and of the damage to the adjacent bridge span. These issues were resolved by 3 December.

My Department was responsible for the resolution of these technical matters.

Mr. Terry Davis

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the work on a replacement structure at the Gravelly hill interchange of the M6 motorway to begin; when he expects this work to be completed; which contractor is going to be employed for this work; what is the value of the contract for this work; and who will pay for this work.

Mr. Chope

Three separate contracts are to be employed for the repair work. These three contracts are presently at various stages of tender and award. One has been awarded to Thermic UK Ltd. for demolition of the damaged structure in the sum of £137,262. The Department is about to let a contract for the fabrication of steelwork and has invited tenders for the main construction work. Some works preparatory to the start of demolition are already in hand.

It is hoped that all works will be complete by the end of July 1991.

The damage resulting from the accident is the subject of an insurance claim.

Mr. Rooker

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long the special scaffolding under one row of columns supporting the M6 motorway at the Gravelly Hill interchange has been in place; what is the purpose and cost; and who was responsible for checking the calculations as to its stability.

Mr. Chope

Two contracts are currently in progress at Gravelly Hill interchange and both involve scaffolding around the viaduct supports. One contract started in December 1989 and the other in August 1990. The scaffolding provides a working platform for the contractors and does not support the viaducts. In one contract there is a substantial temporary steel truss which allows areas of concrete to be broken out while traffic is still using the viaduct.

The design and the check of the working platform scaffold is the responsibility of the contractor. Any temporary support to the motorway viaduct structure is designed and checked by the Department's consulting engineers. The costs of the scaffold and temporary supports are not immediately available and I will write to the hon. Member further on this.