HL Deb 11 January 1999 vol 596 cc16-8WA
Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many fatal accidents have occurred during the progress of the current works on the A.12 trunk road between the Wickham Market bypass and Saxmundham. [HL340]

Lord Whitty

There has been one fatal accident during the course of the current resurfacing works at Little Glemham.

Lord Marlesford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list all the fatal accidents which have occurred over the last 20 years on the section of the A.12 trunk road between the northern end of the Wickham Market by-pass and the southern end of the dual carriageway at Benhall; what proposals they have for improving the safety of that section of road; and whether they will consider the reinstatement of the by-pass for the four villages on that section of the A.12 which was withdrawn from the road programme on 26 November 1996. [HL341]

Lord Whitty

The total number of accidents recorded as having resulted in a fatality on the 4½ mile length of the A.12 between the dual carriageways of Wickham Market by-pass and at Benhall is nine. These are listed below:—

1. 11–11–78 Little Glemham Loss of control
2. 15–10–81 Stratford St. Andrew Loss of control
3. 22–12–82 Benhall Head on collision
4. 28–11–85 Marlesford Failed to give way
5. 2–9–86 Little Glemham Head on collision
6. 19–9–87 Stratford St. Andrew Head on collusion
7. 26–6–93 Little Glemham Loss of control
8. 20–8–93 Marlesford Head on collision
9. 4–9–93 Marlesford Right turn movement

The accident history of this, as with all trunk roads is routinely monitored but accidents are not closely clustered anywhere along the route. In consequence, there are no safety schemes currently planned, but studies are under way at Little Glemham and the A.12/A.1094 junction at Benhall.

When the Government announced the year-long review of trunk roads, as reported in A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England, it did not consider there was a case for reintroducing the previously withdrawn proposal for a by-pass. Any move now to reintroduce that or other by-pass options on that stretch would fall

PDVN Actual Spend 1996–97 Actual Spend 1997–98 Estimate Allocated 1998–99 Estimate Bid 1990–00 PES Forecast 2000–01 PES Forecast 2001–02
Non-Capital Expenditure Total 1,080,000 1,954,139 2,539,900 2,021,800 2,141,700 2,061,900
Capital Expenditure Total 1,205,000 1,268,227 2,536,600 1,650,000 2,450,000 1,450,000
Grand Total 2,285,000 3,222,366 5,076,500 3,671,800 4,591,700 3,511,900

to Suffolk County Council as part of its Local Transport Plan, since this section of the A. 12 is one which we have announced is due to be detrunked.