§ Mr. Brian David JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when and for what reasons the decision was taken to withdraw the scheme to improve the A5 from Weeford to Fazeley from the trunk road programme. [8821]
§ Mr. WattsThe A5 from Weeford to Fazeley was one of a number of longer—term schemes withdrawn from the programme following the Chancellor's Budget statement last November. These schemes had little chance of660W coming to fruition within a reasonable time scale and were withdrawn to remove uncertainty and the damaging effects of blight on individuals and neighbourhoods.
§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have occurred in each of the last five years on the A5 between Weeford and Fazeley. [8820]
§ Mr. WattsIt is our policy to record only those accidents involving personal injury. The number of such accidents for the section of the A5 between Weeford and Fazeley, including the A5/A38 junction, for the last five years is as follows:
Fatal Serious Slight Total 1991 0 0 9 9 1992 1 3 12 16 1993 0 0 3 3 1994 1 1 6 8 1995 1 1 7 9 1996 (to June) 0 1 4 5 Total 3 6 41 50
§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received(a) in support and (b) against the A5 Weeford to Fazeley improvement scheme; and if he will list them. [8824]
§ Mr. WattsSome 90 per cent. of those members of the public who responded to the 1993 public consultation exercise supported an improvement to the A5 between Weeford and Fazeley.
Twelve official bodies were also consulted. The results were as follows:
Full support:
- Staffordshire County Council
- Borough of Tamworth
- Countryside Commission
- Cyclists Touring Club
- RAC Motoring Services
- Road Haulage Association
- Weeford Parish Council
No objection in principle:
- Linchfield City Council
- National Rivers Authority
- Staffordshire Police
Agreement in Principle:
Hints with Canwell Parish CouncilObjection to the Scheme:
Council for the Protection of Rural England.
§ Mr. JenkinsTo the Secretary of State for Transport what is the traffic capacity of the A5 from Weeford to Fazeley; and what is the current volume. [8819]
§ Mr. WattsThe congestion reference flow, which shows the level at which the road would be in the peak periods on an average day, is approximately 20,000 vehicles per day for the A5 between Weeford and Fazeley.
The current traffic flow—1996—is some 16,000 vehicles per day, of which 20 per cent. are heavy goods vehicles.
661W
§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to deal with the existing traffic problems on the A5 between the A38 junction and Fazeley. [8823]
§ Mr. WattsFollowing the 1995 "Managing the Roads Programme" review, Staffordshire county council was commissioned to investigate what interim measures could be undertaken on that section of trunk road. Its report is expected the end of the year. With the scheme now withdrawn from the programme, we shall consider what measures, within current resources limitations, we can undertake to deal with existing traffic problems.
§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total expenditure in(a) design costs, (b) legal costs, (c) land and property acquisition and (d) other preparatory work for the A5 Weeford to Fazeley improvement scheme. [8822]
§ Mr. WattsTotal expenditure incurred to date amounts to £473,445. This comprises:
£ (a) Design costs 349,562 (b) Legal costs nil (c) Land and Property acquisition 90,000 (d) Other preparatory work 33,883