§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress on continuation of the M40 extension.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe two contracts on the Warwick section started last year and are well under way. Completion is expected in summer 1989. Three of the contracts on the Banbury section have now been let. Tenders for the remaining one, and also for the Gaydon section contract, are due to be returned on 5 August. We expect the whole of the Banbury section and the Gaydon section to be open to traffic: by autumn 1990.
Revised proposals for the Waterstock to Wendlebury section, north-east of Oxford were considered at a public inquiry which ended earlier this year. The inspector's report is awaited.