§ Lord Ritchie of Dundeeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the "corridor improvernents" on the A.259, referred to in the Department of Transport White Paper Cmnd. 693, include the bypassing of the ancient Cinque Ports of Rye and Winchelsea, and when such improvements are scheduled to be made.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Lord Brabazon of Tara)The. White Paper reference does not relate to either the proposed Winchelsea bypass or the adjoining Rye improvement. These schemes were already in the roads programme.
Actual start dates are dependent on satisfactory completion of the design and statutory stages. Following controversial single-route public consultation, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport is reviewing the possibility of other options for the Rye scheme. He will make an announcement as soon as possible. Meanwhile it would be wrong to take the published draft orders for Winchelsea to public inquiry.