Road Scheme Protests (Cost) (Hansard, 22 January 1996)

§ Mr. Watts

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr Graham Allen, dated 22 January 1996: As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about the costs of security at Twyford Down; the effects of the additional cost of security at Newbury on the cost benefit analysis for the scheme, the total security and legal costs resulting from protests against the M11, and what plans there are to carry out a new cost benefit analysis of the Newbury Bypass following the increase in the costs of the road. The legal and security costs resulting from protests at Twyford Down amounted to £3.9M (including VAT). Costs associated with the additional site security element required to complete the Newbury Bypass cannot be established at this early stage. The final outcome will depend on the level of protest action. But given that the present value benefits of the scheme are estimated as being between £83M and £150M, the additional cost would not have any significant effects on the cost benefits of the scheme. The security and legal costs resulting from protests against the Al2 Hackney to M11 Link Road were in the order of £10M. We have no plans to carry out a new cost benefit analysis of the Newbury Bypass. Cost benefit analysis are carried out as part of the decision making process for the road schemes. In this case they showed that the scheme is very good value for money.