§ Lord Graham of Edmontonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether progress has been made since the roads review on the targeted programme of improvements and the programme of studies. [HL271]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Whitty)I am happy to announce today that we are able to provide further details of the construction programme for the schemes included in our targeted programme of improvements listed inA New Deal for Trunk Roads in England.
As previously stated by my right honourable friend the Minister for Transport (Official Report, Commons; col. 1738, 31 July 1998), all the schemes listed in the TPI will definitely start within the next seven years, subject only to the completion of any outstanding statutory procedures.
For those schemes where all the statutory procedures have been completed, the following are the planned start of works dates. Final confirmation of individual start dates within each year will be subject to the satisfactory completion of the necessary contract process.
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2000–01 A1 Willowburn—Denwick A6 Great Glen Bypass A27 Polegate Bypass A41 Aston Clinton Bypass A43 Silverstone Bypass A43 Whitfield Turn—Brackley Hatch Improvement A1033 Hedon Road, Hull Improvement 2001–02 A5 Nesscliffe Bypass A6 Clapham Bypass A6 Rothwell—Desborough Bypass A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass A10 Wadesmill—Colliers End Bypass
A11 Rounham Heath to Attleborough A21 Lamberhurst Bypass A23 Coulsdon Relief Road A43 M40—B4031 Improvement A46 Newark—Lincoln Improvement A63 Selby Bypass A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass A120 Stansted—Braintree A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass A650 Bingley Relief Road 2002–03 M25 J 12–15 Widening 2003–04 M60 J 5–8 (formerly M63 J 6–9 Widening) We propose to take forward the following five schemes under design, build, finance and operate (DBFO) contracts. These provide bidders with the flexibility to decide their own start dates as a means of producing better value for money. In line with our new objectives for trunk roads the proposed payment mechanisms for these schemes will incentivise efficient road operation and will include rewarding improved safety and good service to buses and lorries. We will further keep under review the scope for additional public private partnerships to implement the TPI.
The DBFO schemes are:
Contract Award Date 2002–03 A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford The following three schemes, which we propose taking forward under DBFO contracts, are still subject to statutory procedures. The next statutory procedures for these schemes, together with the planned dates, are:
1999–00 A249 Iwade—Queenborough Improvement (Public Inquiry) 2000–01 A2 Bean—Cobham Widening Phase 2 (Public Consultation) A2 (A2/A282 Dartford Improvement (Order Publication) I am not yet in a position to announce the final start of works dates for the remaining schemes listed in the TPI. I am, however, able to announce the next statutory procedure for the remaining schemes where applicable.
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1998–99 A303 Stonehenge (Public Consultation) 1999–00 A6 Alvaston (Order Publication) A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement (Order Publication—revised CPO)
2000–01 A2 Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 1 (Public Consultation) A500 City Road/Stoke Road Junctions (Order Publication) 2001–02 A5 Weeford-Fazeley Improvement (Order Publication) A14 Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction (Order Publication) A421 Great Barford Bypass (Order Publication) At the same time as the TPI was published, a further seven schemes were listed which were not sufficiently advanced to be considered for the TPI but which are to be progressed through their statutory procedures and, if endorsed as a result of the regional planning guidance procedure process, will be taken forward without delay, subject only to the availability of funds. They are, with dates of the next statutory procedure:
1999–00 A30 Bodmin-Indian Queens Improvement (Public Consultation) 2000–01 A11 Attleborough Bypass (Public Consultation) A11 Fiveways-Thetford Improvement (Public Consultation) A63 Melton Grade Separated Junction (Order Publication) 2001–02 A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement (Public Consultation) A57/A628 Mottram-Tintwistle Bypass (Order Publication) A66 Temple Sowerby Bypass & Imp. at Winderwath (Order Publication) In A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England we also proposed a programme of studies to address the most urgent problems on the trunk road network not addressed by schemes in the TPI. My department is today beginning a consultation exercise with regional planning bodies to agree the study programme and to seek views in particular on the timing of the studies. The provisional programme of studies is as follows:
Tranche one multi-modal studies: West Midlands to North West Conurbation; London Orbital; South West Yorkshire Motorway box; Tyneside; West Midlands Area; Access to Hastings; London to South West and South Wales; North-South Movements in East Midlands; and South East Manchester.
Work to begin in spring 1999.
Tranche two multi-modal studies: Cambridge to Huntingdon, A453 (M1-Nottingham); Southampton to Folkestone; Hull; London to South 113WA Midlands; West Midlands to Nottingham; London to Reading.
The start date for these studies will depend on the progress of tranche one studies in each region.
Roads-based studies: A1 Bramham to Barton; Norwich to Great Yarmouth; A5 Shrewsbury to Welsh Border; A38 Derby Junctions; M1 Junction 19; A3 Hindhead; Deeside Park Junctions; M40/A46 Longbridge roundabout; A419 Blunsdon; A66 Safety study.
We intend to begin these within the next two years.
A copy of the consultation document will be placed in the Library.