Highways (Costs)

HC Deb 24 May 1989 vol 153 cc556-7W

Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest figure for the drainage cost of public highways in Britain.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

No general statistics are kept of the cost of draining public highways. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave him on 13 December lastOfficial Report column 520, for the latest figures of the cost in England of maintaining road drainage. It falls to highway authorities to meet the costs of providing and maintaining drainage within the highway and to water authorities to meet the costs of dealing with the surface water discharged from it.

Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest figure for the cost of lighting public highways in Britain.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Current and capital expenditure by central and local government on public highways lighting in Great Britain in 1987–88 is estimated to have been some £225 million.