HC Deb 14 November 1989 vol 160 cc108-10W
Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the Government's capital plans for investment in road and rail in the east London assessment study area over the next 10 years; how much is allocated to(a) rail and (b) roads; and how much this has changed following recent developments.

Mr. Atkins

The Department's current trunk road programme includes several schemes that are wholly or partly within the east London assessment area with a total works cost of about £150 million (1987 prices). These include the A 12 Hackney to M11 link road and several schemes to upgrade the A13. Other schemes in the Department's programme outside the study boundary will also improve access to and conditions within the area. In addition, the London docklands development corporation is carrying out a number of schemes to improve movement within its area.

British Rail and London Regional Transport are responsible for determining long-term investment plans and priorities for rail services within the overall resources available to them. Their plans include major rail investments which will benefit that area of London. Schemes include the introduction of modern rolling stock on many lines; greater capacity on the north London line; resignalling of lines into Liverpool Street station and the major redevelopment of the station itself. Further plans include new stock and resignalling on the London-Tilbury-Southend lines.

Improvements in Underground services include the £720 million modernisation of the Central Line and the reconstruction of Angel station. The City and Beckton extensions of the Docklands light railway are now under way at a cost of over £400 million.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will instruct the east London assessment study consultants to reinstate road pricing in the options considered.

Mr. Atkins

It would not be appropriate to do so at this time.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the consultants carrying out the east London assessment study will be instructed to revise their study in the light of decisions regarding the jubilee line extension and the British Railway crossrail link; and what will be the impact of these rail schemes on the study.

Mr. Atkins

Announcements about decisions on future rail lines in London will be made shortly. The assessment study consultants will take account of those decisions in any further work.

Ms. Abbott

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what account the east London assessment study will take of(a) the outcome of the M11 link inquiry, (b) the development of the road infrastructure serving docklands and (c) the Channel terminus and King's Cross developments;

(2) what consultation will take place regarding the east London assessment study phase IIB report, to be published in December; when consultations will begin and end; who will be consulted; and what is the revised timetable for phase III;

(3) what is the estimated cost of the east London assessment study IIB study; when the results will be made public; and how detailed information will be made available to the public;

(4) what was the cost of the east London assessment study phase IIA study; how many copies of the east London assessment study phase IIA report were printed; what was the cost of printing these copies; how many of these were distributed to (a) members of the public, (b) hon. Members, (c) Government Departments, (d) statutory public bodies, (e) other public bodies, (f) press, (g) commercial organisations and (h) others; how much per copy these categories were charged; and what was the total gross income from each category;

(5) which options in the east London assessment study impinge on Lea valley and Victoria park.

Mr. Atkins

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and lsleworth (Sir B. Hayhoe) on 23 October at column374.

Details of the consultant's work on the east London assessment study which takes account of developments at docklands and King's Cross will be available when the reports are published in December. The outcome of the M11 link inquiry will not be known by this date. For the purpose of the study it has been assumed that the scheme will be carried out.

Arrangements for inviting public comment will be announced when the reports are published. There are no plans for a stage III for the study.

The total cost of the study is estimated at about £2.5 million. The stage 2A report was a consultant's publication and the information requested on its publication cost, sales and distribution is not readily available.