HC Deb 12 February 1992 vol 203 cc510-2W
Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the tender secured by Travers Morgan to act as advisers on the proposed route of the Leicester eastern bypass was open to public competition.

Mr. Chope

Travers Morgan was appointed in the normal way, following a competition with other suitable consulting engineers drawn from the Department's approved list.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to bring into use the already completed dual carriageway section of the eastern district distributor road north of Goodwood road in Leicester.

Mr. Chope

The eastern district distributor road is a local road for which Leicestershire county council, as the highway authority, is responsible.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, before proceeding with the scheme to provide a Leicester eastern bypass, the views of the county council were sought.

Mr. Chope

No. If a viable scheme is identified the county council, and others, will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals at public consultation stage, before any final decision is taken to proceed with the project.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish details of the contract with Travers Morgan to act as advisers on the route of a Leicester eastern bypass.

Mr. Chope

Travers Morgan was commissioned under the Department's standard terms of engagement for highway consultancy commissions. As the contract document contains commercially sensitive information on fees and staff packages proposed by the firm and accepted by the Department, it is not the Department's policy to publish this information.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects the eastern district distributor road with the link to Oadby on the A6 to be completed;

(2) what is the daily traffic flow both ways on the eastern district distributor road in Leicester where it enters the borough at Oadby on the A6;

(3) if houses built by the city council on the Goodwood road part of the distributor road network in Leicester are to be demolished to enable dual carriageway construction to be completed;

(4) what is the present traffic flow on the distributor road network in Leicester; and by how much he estimates this will increase with the demolition of the houses in Goodwood road.

Mr. Chope

These are not matters for my Department. The eastern district distributor is a local road for which Leicestershire county council, as the highway authority, is responsible.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will terminate the arrangement made by his Department to appoint Travers Morgan as consultants for a Leicester eastern bypass.

Mr. Chope

No.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account was taken of the work Travers Morgan had already performed for the Co-operative Wholesale Society, Manchester, in planning a business park and industrial estate and road network at the adjacent Stretton Magna when the tender for the Leicester eastern bypass was secured by them.

Mr. Chope

None. A condition of Travers Morgan's appointment for the Leicester eastern bypass commission was that it relinquished any further involvement in the Stretton Magna project. This it has done.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy not to proceed with any consideration of a Leicester eastern bypass until the eastern district distributor road network has been completed at Oadby and a traffic pattern has emerged.

Mr. Chope

No. The two roads would serve different functions. The Leicester eastern bypass would cater for long-distance trunk road traffic and provide continuity of the trunk road network around the city of Leicester; the county council's distributor road is to serve local traffic needs and improve the distribution of traffic within the city.

Sir John Farr

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment was made of the views of the Harborough district council before proceeding with a Leicester eastern bypass.

Mr. Chope

None. If our preliminary investigations identify a viable scheme, Harborough district council will have the opportunity to comment on the scheme at public consultation stage and before any final decision is taken to proceed with the project.