Roads, Leicester (Hansard, 14 February 1992)

§ Sir John Farr
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those dual carriageway sections of the eastern district distributor road that have been completed in Leicester and not used; the total unused carriageway and the reason it has not been brought fully into use.

§ Mr. Chope
This is not a matter for my Department. The eastern district distributor is a local road for which Leicestershire county council, as the highway authority, is responsible.
However, I understand that none of the eastern district distributor road has yet been completed, but that 0.4 miles of the contiguous single carriageway A46/A47 link have ben completed but are unused at present.

§ Sir John Farr
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to public funds so far of the non-usage of city sections of the eastern district distributor road in Leicester; and what additional cost city ratepayers are to be required to meet in this respect.

§ Mr. Chope
This is not a matter for my Department. The eastern district distributor road is a local road for which Leicestershire county council, as the highway authority, is responsible.
However, I understand that none of the eastern district distributor road has yet been constructed, but that the total cost of the unused section of the contiguous A46/A47 link to be of the order of £0.5 million of which the Department has provided 50 per cent through transport supplementary grant.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the pollution levels from the eastern district distribution roads that will affect the residents of Victoria Court flats, Oadby.

§ Mr. Chope
This is not a matter for my Department. The eastern district distributor road is a local road for which Leicestershire county council, as the highway authority, is responsible.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the eastern district distribution road will qualify for transport subsidy grant if it is a single carriageway throughout its length.

§ Mr. Chope
It is for Leicestershire county council to seek transport supplementary grant for this scheme. It would be assessed, in competition nationally, with schemes from other county councils irrespective of the proposed standard of the road.

§ Mr. Vaz
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will cost the Henwood proposals for the Leicester bypass.

§ Mr. Chope
The Department's concern is with the strategic trunk road network and, in particular around Leicester, to provide continuity of this network for long-distance traffic by connecting the A46 north and the city with the A6 to the south-west. Various options are being considered within a broad corridor to the east of Leicester. The Henwood proposals go beyond this objective and would provide a southern bypass of the city. We will not, therefore, be costing the Henwood proposals.