§ Mr. WallerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proposal for a long tunnel between Cottingley Bar and the Shipley eastern bypass, submited as option B in the current public consultation exercise, has been subjected to COBA analysis; and if the will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe tunnel option, included in the recent information brochure issued by the Department, was subjected to COBA analysis.
Relative to the other options considered, the tunnel schemes would have high constructions costs. This effects the economic return. A single carriageway scheme would have a low positive net present value, and a dual carriageway scheme would be negative. The other effects of the tunnel options were summarised in the framework shown in the brochure.