§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider re-routing or covering the proposed road through Oxleas wood.
§ Mr. ChopeNo. The alignment of the east London river crossing scheme was decided in July 1988 in accordance with the inspector's recommendation following a public inquiry lasting 15 months. The decision not to provide a tunnel through part of Oxleas wood was taken in 1988 only after very thorough consideration of the effects of the scheme on the environment, ecology and recreational use of the woodland.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he will make to the letters from the European Environment Commissioner about Oxleas wood and other threatened sites.
§ Mr. ChopeThe formal letter of 17 October 1991 from the European Commission sets out a number of respects in which it is alleged that directive 85/337 EEC on environmental impact assessment had not been correctly implemented. The letter will be studied very carefully before a reply is sent. Commissioner Ripa di Meana also sent, and released to the press, a personal letter to my right hon. and learned Friend. In reply, my right hon. and learned Friend has told him that construction of the three schemes—Hackney-M 11 link, east London river crossing. and M3 Twyford Down—had not begun and was not due to begin for some considerable time, but that the schemes were urgently needed and the Department would be continuing with the necessary advance works.