§ Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the date when tenders are to be invited for the second Severn crossing, the proposed date when work is to commence and the proposed completion date.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyI informed the House on 6 November 1986 and 3 February this year that we wish to be in a position to provide the second Severn crossing by the mid-1990s, if the build-up of traffic needs it by then and Parliament so decides. This is a large and complex scheme, and many detailed investigations and consultations will have to be carried out before tenders can be invited. The next step is to appoint consultants for these tasks, and competitive bids will be invited shortly from suitable firms.