§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to commence the study he recently undertook to conduct into the potential economic impact on local retailers of the proposal to re-route the A7 through the town of Hawick avoiding North Bridge street; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 2 June 1992]: 1 expect the commission to be awarded and the assessment to begin before the end of June.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now authorise the Borders road authority to undertake the necessary preparatory work to enable the Colterscleuch stretch of the A7 to be improved along the existing line of the road at the earliest possible date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 2 June 1992]: Borders regional council has already been commissioned to prepare an appropriate scheme to improve the A7 at Colterscleuch. The brief involves comparative analyses of potential improvements both along the existing alignment and on a new alignment so that the optimum scheme can be identified. Design work is proceeding on both these options in parallel and good progress is being made. It is anticipated that a preferred scheme can be chosen and fully designed by spring next year.
Completion of statutory procedures, including resolution or determination of any objections, and the availability of finance, will, of course, influence when construction can start.