§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the timetabling of the proposed Ardrossan-Saltcoats-Stevenston bypass.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 12 June 1990]: All schemes in the trunk road programme are allocated scheme ready dates which indicate when the necessary preparatory work is expected to be completed. Thereafter, decisions on which schemes will proceed to construction in the following year are taken annually each March on the basis of the relative priorities of the schemes which are ready, and the financial resources available. Preparatory work for an Ardrossan-Saltcoats-Stevenston bypass is expected to be completed this year if outstanding objections to the scheme are satisfactorily resolved, but no decision has been taken on when a bypass might be constructed. Decisions on the priorities for funding in 1991–92 and beyond will be greatly assisted by the results of the major trunk and key principal road network review, which will by then be substantially complete.