A180 (Hansard, 28 November 2002)

§ Mr. Jamieson

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Shona McIsaacs dated 28 November 2002: I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when resurfacing of the A180 with low noise materials will commence The criteria for deciding the priority for applying quieter surfacing to concrete roads were announced in October 2001. These criteria are: that wherever possible the application of quieter surfaces will fit in with normal maintenance needs; that priority will be given to those sites where treatment would benefit the greatest number of people; that the works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise disruption to general public and users of the network; that priority will be given to roads, opened since June 1998, where actual noise levels turned out significantly higher than predicted at the time of Public Inquiry Resurfacing of two concrete sections of the A180, between Harborough and Stallingborough and between Great Coates and Pyewipe, is due to be undertaken by 2001 under the Ten Year Plan. Originally, both schemes were included in the list of roads to be resurfaced by 2005, based on an assessment that maintenance would need to be carried out by that date. However, current indications are that maintenance work will not be needed between Great Coates and Pyewipe before 2005 and it is probable that this work will be undertaken later I am afraid that it is not possible to provide a better idea of timing until the review of the maintenance programme is complete following the 2002 spending settlement. We will write to you again once the results of that review are known If you require any further information, please contact Mick Spink, the Highways Agency's Area Manager for the a 180. He can be contacted on 1003 283 5397 or e-mail mick.spink@highways.gsi.gov.uk. Or for further information on resurfacing of concrete roads, visit our website at www.highways.gov.uk and use our search facility to find 'concrete roads'.