§ Mr. BerryTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to ensure the early completion of stage II of the Avon ring road. [3409]
§ Mr. WattsThe Avon ring road is a local road scheme which is being promoted by South Gloucestershire council who succeeded Avon county council as a result of local government reorganisation. The project was first approved for transport supplementary grant in the 1994–95 local transport capital settlement. The Department of Transport allocated £4 million to the scheme in 1996–97. This funding is conditional on the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures. The Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment's decision to confirm the orders and grant the certificates for the Avon ring road on 12 October 1995 are currently the subject of a legal challenge; the dates for the proposed High Court hearing of that challenge are 21 and 22 November. Progress on the scheme will depend on the outcome of that challenge.