§ Mrs. DunwoodyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the route of the toll road planned to pass through Cheshire and its estimated time of construction; what environmental studies have been carried out before the route was finalised; and what public consultations he has had in Cheshire.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Department has received four responses from the private sector to its invitation for broad outline proposals for additional longer term road capacity between Birmingham and Manchester. These proposals are still under evaluation, and no decision has been taken on a preferred scheme, or its route and timing. As and when a favoured proposal is selected, consultation will take place with all interested parties in the normal way. Any privately-financed road scheme must comply with the same environmental standards as a public scheme.