Mr. Jim Callaghanasked the Secretary of State for Transport if there has been a revised traffic forecast and an economic evaluation carried out for the M66 Denton trunk road scheme; and if he will give the detailed evaluated costs and the benefits and net present value together with the equivalent details for the M63/M66 Portwood-Denton road scheme.
§ Mrs. ChalkerOur traffic and economic forecasts are kept under continuous review. Earlier this year, in connection with work on the Portwood to Denton section, we completed a major revision of the figures for both the remaining sections of the Manchester outer ring road.
The following table gives the latest economic evaluation figures for each section of road when considered in isolation.
M66 Denton to Middleton M63/M66 Portwood to Denton £ million £ million Present value of costs 48 37 Present value of benefits 60 to 96 39 to 58 Net present value 12 to 48 2 to 21