§ Mr. Moynihanasked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the report of the standing advisory committee on trunk road assessment review of urban road appraisal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe committee's report is published today together with the Government's response to it. Copies of both documents have been placed in the40W Library of the House. The Government are grateful to Professor Williams and his committee for their work, which represents a further step in the continuing development of assessment methods.
The report provides a foundation of broad principles on which to develop and refine appraisal methods for both urban and inter-urban trunk roads. Some of the recommendation can be applied immediately because of the flexibility which already exists in the Department's methods, which the committee has recognised and built upon. Since the report sets out principles rather than detailed prescriptions, much further work needs to be done before many of its recommendations can be applied to scheme assessment. I therefore do not expect the progress of existing schemes to be held up to await the outcome of such further work. As revised guidance is issued, this will be adopted in the preparation and assessment of urban and inter-urban schemes as appropriate. My Department will continue to keep its methods under review and to introduce improvements where possible.