Roads (London) (Hansard, 10 February 1999)

§ Ms Glenda Jackson

Our White Paper, "A Mayor and Assembly for London", made clear that we start from the presumption that the GLA Road Network should be based on the primary route and red route networks. This base network is made up of some 220 miles of trunk roads and 105 miles of borough roads. We issued a consultation document last summer on whether roads might be added to or deleted from this base network to form the GLA Road Network. We received 93 responses to this consultation exercise. A summary of the responses has been placed in the Library. Copies of individual responses are available from the library of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

We have carefully considered the representations received and we have concluded that there should be some adjustments to the network as envisaged by the White

	Additions to base network	Deletions from base network
Adjustment for new road	New A13 (West of Heathway to Wennington)	Old A13 (West of Heathway to Wennington)
	A12 (Hackney Wick—M11 link)	All (Bow interchange—Green Man Roundabout)
	A1203/A1261 (Limehouse Link/Aspen Way)	A106 (Lea Interchange—All at Leytonstone)
	A1020 Royal Docks Road	A117 Woolwich Manor Way (from A13 to A1020
Deletions of primary routes		A307 (Kew Green—Richmond Circus)
		A3O8 (Hampton)
		A503 (Waterworks Corner—Tottenham Hale Gyratory)
Additions within the Inner Ring Road	A201 Kings Cross—Elephant and Castle (via Blackfriars Bridge)
	A200/A3200/A3036 Tooley Street, St. Thomas Street, Southwark Street, Stamford Street, York Road, Lambeth Palace Road, Albert Embankment
	A3211 Tower Hill, Lower and Upper Thames Street, Victoria Embankment
	Westminster Bridge
	Lambeth Bridge, Millbank (from Vauxhall Bridge to Lambeth Bridge)

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Paper. Those are set out in the table and shown on the two maps which have today been deposited in the Library. In outer London, there are some small adjustments primarily to reflect the construction of new roads. In central London, we propose the addition of roads which act as key distributor routes for the area within the Inner Ring Road.

The resulting network gives Transport for London a clear and coherent set of roads to manage. The Mayor's Integrated Transport Strategy will set the framework within which Transport for London and boroughs will work. It is important that the Mayor, through Transport for London, should be responsible for key roads to help facilitate improved co-ordination in the movement of people and goods. In particular, direct involvement in roads in the central area will help the Mayor ensure there is a balanced approach to accessibility and traffic management not only to and from the City and West End but also for the developing south bank of the Thames.

This GLA Road Network is broadly the same size as the base network and the transfer of about 220 miles of trunk roads from the Highways Agency to Transport for London represents a significant shift of responsibility from central Government.

Subject to Parliamentary procedures, we intend that the network will be formally defined by Order to come into effect when Transport for London is brought into being. In defining the network, we are minded to include those small sections of side roads which are necessary to ensure that the main road is managed safely and efficiently.

We have looked carefully at the powers Transport for London should have as highway authority in relation to planning applications which affect GLA roads. Our conclusion is that Transport for London should be consulted by the local planning authority where the proposed development would materially affect the volume or type of traffic on a GLA road; require direct access to a GLA road or be likely to prejudice the improvement or construction of a GLA road. We do not envisage that the Mayor should have the power to direct the planning authority over highway related matters.

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