§ Mr. MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a progress report on the plans for dualling the A249 from the Stockbury viaduct to Key street between the M2 junctions and the A2 junctions; when he expects to announce the draft orders; and what are the reasons for slippage.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyAs I envisaged in replying to the debate on 11 May at column 445 we announced the preferred route last summer. We hope to publish draft orders about the end of 1989.
§ Mr. MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate and report on the number of incidents in recent months which have caused major holdups on the A249 single carriageway route from Key street to Sheerness.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyDelays are not necessarily reported. We are aware of five incidents involving delays of more than 10 minutes in the last three months.
§ Mr. MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the appraisal from Kent county council of the need for improvements to the A249 from Kingsferry bridge to Sheerness, including the adequacy of the existing crossing of the Swale.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyShortly.
§ Mr. MoateTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest accident statistics for the A249 from Iwade to Sheerness.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyBetween July 1985 and June 1988 there were 81 personal injury accidents (four fatal, 24 serious, 53 slight) on this length of A249.