HC Deb 24 February 1988 vol 128 cc202-3W
Mr. Jack

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why no account is taken in the cost-benefit analysis for transport supplementary grant road schemes of benefits to be derived from new industrial developments occasioned by a road improvement; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The Department requires local authorities to provide an assessment of the costs and benefits of highway schemes submitted for transport supplementary grant. In addition to an estimate of the benefits to traffic, the assessment should cover the effects of the scheme on the local community, local industry and commerce, road safety and the environment. Departmental circular 1/87, "Transport Policies and Programme Submissions for 1988–89" provides guidance to local authorities. A copy is in the Library.

Mr. Jack

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in theOfficial Report, in terms of pounds sterling per mile, the net present value returns for each transport supplementary grant approved road scheme (i) in Lancashire and (ii) for the highway authorities in the west midlands economic region, for the financial years 1987–88 and1988–89.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The table lists all local road schemes supported with transport supplementary grant (TSG) in 1987–88 and 1988–89 for which the net present value is available in (i) Lancashire, and (ii) the West Midlands economic region. A number of other schemes in both Lancashire and the west midlands are similarly supported with TSG. Net present values for these are not available. It is not always practicable to calculate a net present value for a scheme, particularly in an urban area; other measures, such as first year rate of return, are often more relevant.

Authority and scheme TSG support in Net present value1 (£ million) Length (miles)
(i) Lancashire
M65 Nelson—Colne 87–88 and 88–89 32.8 1.1
A6068 Shuttleworth Hall link road 87–88 and 88–89 10.5 1.1
A56 North Valley link road, Colne 87–88 and 88–89 9.3 0.7
Burnley inner relief road (phase II) 88–89 4.6 0.4
(ii) Wolverhampton

Authority and scheme TSG support in Net present value1 (£ million) Length (miles)
Black country route (Section 3,4,5A, 5B) 87–88 and 88–89 7.9 2.1
Hereford and Worcester
A422 Worcester Southern Link 87–88 and 88–89 1.3 2.9
A456 Bewdley bypass 87–88 and 88–89 8.4 32
Shropshire
A49 Reabrook to Telford Way link 87–88 and 88–89 8.2 1.4
A591 English bridge gyratory 87–88 88–89 and 3.0 0.2
Staffordshire
A525 Keele bypass 88–89 0.8 1.1
A460 Cannock eastern bypass 88–89 9.6 1.6
Warwickshire
A4390 Stratford Southern relief road 87–88 and 88–89 4.8 0.9
A429 Wellesbourne bypass 88–89 0.4 1.3
1 1979 prices discounted to 1979.