§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the current road improvement projects on the A96, giving details of expenditure in each case.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 16 December 1992]: Under the route action plan for the A96 trunk road, the following schemes are currently under construction or being prepared:
Estimated cost 1. Major Schemes £ million Bucksburn Diversion (under construction) 6.9 Lhanbryde Bypass 2.6 Keith Bypass 12.0 Kintore Bypass 14.5 Blackburn Bypass 9.6 2. Minor Improvements £ Huntly/Dufftown Stacking Lane (under construction) 200,000 Ardgilzean Stacking Lane (under construction) 200,000 Alves Stacking Lane 1 million Alves/Ardgye Climbing Lane Colpy Stacking Lane 300,000 East Road, Elgin Improvement 650,000 Banff Stacking Lane 150,000 Newtongarry/Adamston Climbing Lane 1.5 million Central Reserve Safety Fencing, Tyrebagger Hill 150,000 Morayston to Tornagrain Improvement 950,000 3. Accident Investigation and Prevention (AIP) Schemes £ Tertowie Junction, North of Blackburn 1,000 Mosstodloch 14,000 Bends West of Lhanbryde 3,000 Bends East of Ardgilzean 7,500 Kintore Primary School 15,000 Coachhouse Inn Junction Improvement 1,800 Smithton-Culloden West Junction 20,000 Smithton-Culloden East Junction Stacking Lane 100,000 Inverness-Hardmuir Junction 6,000
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce the commencement date for the Llanbryde bypass on the A96.
Lord James Douglas Hamilton[holding answer 16 December 1992]: A public local inquiry was held on 3 November 1992 to consider outstanding objections to the draft statutory orders for this scheme and the report of the inquiry is awaited.
If the reporter recommends that the orders should be made the outstanding preparation work will be completed 466W in the summer of 1993. Within the A96 route action plan funds are being made available for various improvements to upgrade the route. The Lhanbryde bypass is well placed to compete for such funding.
§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce the route and commencement date for the Keith bypass on the A96.
Lord James Douglas Hamilton[holding answer 16 December 1992]: Draft orders and a draft compulsory purchase order have recently been published.
In the statement which I made on 5 March setting out the forward roads programme, I announced that, subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of funds, it was the Government's intention to start this scheme in the year 1994–95.