§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will carry out studies to establish the energy cost to industry and to the United Kingdom generally of delay caused by motorway repairs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerWe are continually examining ways of reducing delay costs associated with motorway repairs. In this connection, the Department has recently issued a computer programme called QUADRO 2—queues and delays at roadworks—which can be used in appropriate situations to compare the full costs, including the delay costs of alternative maintenance options. But we are not proposing to incur the cost of a specific study to establish the energy cost to industry of delay caused by motorways repairs.