§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Transport which principal local roads in Leyton will require strengthening within the next 10 years.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyLocal roads in Leyton are the responsibility of the London borough of Waltham Forest.
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was allocated to local authorities to tackle disrepair on local roads in each year for the last eight years.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyPublic expenditure provision for local highway maintenance since 1979–80 has been as follows:
Year £m 1979–80 591 1980–81 708 1981–82 710 1982–83 799 1983–84 844 1984–85 902 1985–86 972 1986–87 1,115 1987–88 1,264
§ Mr. Cohenasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department provided additional funding for the A1(M) tunnel construction at Hatfield in excess of the cost for a normal road in cutting, and as a contribution to the annual running costs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe tunnel scheme, selected following public consultation, was more expensive than the open cut option also put to the public and there are greater maintenance costs. Both options offered a good economic return but the tunnel scheme had environmental advantages and provided potential for redeveloping a wide area over and on both sides of the new road.
At the request of the local authorities, the original tunnelled section was lengthened and the design 281W strengthened to accommodate the redevelopment. The authorities contributed towards the extra costs involved. The Department has also recovered some of the scheme costs through disposal of land, or legal interests in land, on and adjacent to the tunnel lid.