§ Mr. MuddTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many major road schemes have been announced as due to start in 1987–88 or 1988–89; and how many of these are now scheduled to be started in the current year; how many in 1988–89; if he will list those schemes now likely to be delayed until at least 1989–90; and how many trunk road and local bypass schemes announced and scheduled since 1984–85 have now experienced major slippage in time scale.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyI refer my hon. Friend to my replies on 2 April 1987Official Report columns 571–2 and 8 February 1988 Official Report columns 2–4 when I announced that we planned to start work on 40 schemes in 1987–88 and 34 schemes in 1988–89. Work started on 29 schemes in 1987–88 as indicated in my further answer of 8 February Official Report columns 3–4. Of the remaining schemes originally scheduled to start in 1987–88, we now aim to start 10 in 1988–89 and 1, the A140 Dickleburgh bypass, in 1989–90. Two of the 34 I announced as 1988–89 starts are not now expected to start until 1989–90. They are A16 Boston to Algakirk and A43 Blisworth bypass.
The June 1985 report, "National Roads England", showed 40 bypasses on which work was scheduled to start between June 1985 and March 1987. Of these, 17 have not been started.
The progress of local bypass schemes is a matter for the appropriate local highway authority.