A27 (Hansard, 22 January 1990)

§ Mr. Fearn
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to construct a road of motorway standard north of the existing A27 in East Sussex.

§ Mr. Atkins
We have no present plans to do so but we are putting in place a major study into the need for an east-west strategic route running from Kent to Hampshire within a corridor between the M25 and the south coast.

§ Mr. Fearn
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy not to allow construction to begin on a new roundabout at the junction of the A27 and A26 at Beddingham until such time as a projected route has been announced for the proposed improvements to the A27 between Lewes and Polegate, and a full public consultation period has elapsed.

§ Mr. Atkins
No. Provision of this roundabout is considered good value for money in the medium term and will not pre-empt consideration of options for improving the A27.

§ Mr. Fearn
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy not to approve a final route for the A27 Folkington link until such time as a projected route has been announced for the proposed improvements to the A27 between Lewes and Polegate, and a full public consultation period has elapsed.

§ Mr. Atkins
The issue about which the hon. Member is concerned has been raised by others in the context of public consultation on our Folkington link proposals and will be considered before we decide how the matter should be taken forward. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Fearn
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide details of traffic flows along the A27 between(a) Lewes and Beddingham, (b) Beddingham and Alfriston and (c) Alfriston and Polegate for any of the last 15 years for which figures are available; and if he will indicate the division between HGV and other traffic.

§ Mr. Atkins
The annual average daily traffic flows for the years 1985 to 1988, for which information is readily available, were as follows. Percentages of heavy goods vehicles are shown in brackets: 491W

1985 1986 1987 1988

Lewes to Beddingham 17,500 (8.3 per cent.) 18,600 (8.3 per cent.) 18,800 (9.7 per cent.) 20,300 (9.6 per cent.)

Beddingham and Alfriston 11,600 (7.5 per cent.) 12,300 (7.4 per cent.) 12,700 (6.6 per cent.) 13,200 (10.3 per cent.)

Alfriston and Polegate 9,400 (9.2 per cent.) 10,000 (9.0 per cent.) 10,200 (7.9 per cent.) 11,000 (7.8 per cent.)

§ Mr. Fearn
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer in theOfficial Report, 16 January, column 154, what the possible option identified by East Sussex county council involved with regard to (a) the dualling of the present A27 road, (b) the demolition of houses along the A27 and (c) the construction of a flyover.

§ Mr. Atkins
It is not our policy to release information from scheme identification studies in advance of public consultation. To do so could be misleading and cause unnecessary planning blight for which there might not be a satisfactory recourse under existing legislation.

§ Mr. Fearn
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last corresponded with East Sussex county council in respect of projected improvements to the A27; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Atkins
There is regular contact between my Department and East Sussex county council about our four major A27—and seven A259—schemes in addition to a number of other schemes in our regional programme.

	1985	1986	1987	1988
Lewes to Beddingham	17,500 (8.3 per cent.)	18,600 (8.3 per cent.)	18,800 (9.7 per cent.)	20,300 (9.6 per cent.)
Beddingham and Alfriston	11,600 (7.5 per cent.)	12,300 (7.4 per cent.)	12,700 (6.6 per cent.)	13,200 (10.3 per cent.)
Alfriston and Polegate	9,400 (9.2 per cent.)	10,000 (9.0 per cent.)	10,200 (7.9 per cent.)	11,000 (7.8 per cent.)