§ 24. Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what research his Department has undertaken to ascertain the transport needs of the north-west for the decade from 2001. [36667]
§ Mr. SpellarThe north-west Regional Assembly in consultation with the Government Office and other regional stakeholders have developed the draft Regional Transport Strategy which is part of the Regional Planning Guidance (RPG). The draft RPG was published by the north-west Regional Assembly in August 2001 and I am currently considering the report of the panel. I hope to make my announcement shortly and there will then be a twelve-week consultation period before the final RPG is published by the Secretary of State later this year.