§ Mr. Alec Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the various steps that have to be carried out by his Department on trunk road schemes from the time of the inclusion of the scheme in the firm programme until the beginning of construction;
(2) if he will list the various steps that are taken to prepare a trunk road scheme from the time when the scheme is included in the preparation pool until it is transferred to the firm programme.
§ Mr. Peter ThomasThese steps were described in the Annual Report "Roads in England and Wales" by the Minister of Transport for the year ended 31st March, 1964. They are:
- (a) preliminary surveys and consultations;
- (b) publication of the Secretary of State's proposals for the line;
- (c) consideration of objections;
- (d) fixing the line by Order or Scheme under the Highways Act 1959;
- (e) detailed engineering design work, including structures;
- (f) publication of proposals for the alteration of side roads and accesses;
- (g) consideration of objections, if any;
- (h) fixing these alterations by Order under the Highways Act;
- (i) preparation of land plans;
- (j) land acquisition (including, for virtually all large schemes, the publication of draft Compulsory Purchase Orders);
- (k) consideration of objections;
- (l) making of Compulsory Purchase Orders;
- (m) final details of engineering design and preparation of contract documents;
- (n) invitations to tender;
- (o) letting of contracts;
- (p) start of work.
The three main processes of fixing the line, fixing the alterations to side roads and making a compulsory purchase order may be carried out consecutively or concurrently but broadly steps (a)—(i) are 27W taken while the scheme is in the preparation pool and steps (j)—(p) after the scheme has been firmly programmed.