§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the range of cost estimates is for the range of options being considered for improving the A646 between Halifax and Todmorden; and what the projected start and completion dates are for the same range of options being considered.
§ Mr. MarksAccurate information will not be available until the full technical assessment has been completed. Dual carriageways on the sections between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge and between Mytholmroyd and Luddenden Foot are unlikely to be justified and would be very expensive—in the order of several million pounds. Single carriageway bypasses of Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge are likely to cost in the order of £1.5–£3 million each. Any such new construction is unlikely to be completed before the early 1980s. Where small scale improvements only are justified these will be of fairly low cost and will be carried out, subject to the completion of any necessary statutory procedures and the availability of funds.