Birmingham Northern Relief Road (Hansard, 5 February 1993)

§ Dr. Wright
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost to the Exchequer of the decision not to proceed with the construction of the Birmingham northern relief road as a publicly funded road; and if he will break down the cost into its component parts.

§ Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
Following the decision to seek private finance for the Birmingham northern relief road, the Department reimbursed some £38,000 to individuals and organisations who had incurred costs in objecting to proposals for a publicly-funded road. In addition about £1,000 was paid to engineering consultants who arranged storage of data on the public scheme. The total cost of the public scheme taken to the inquiry was estimated at about £310 million at 1990 prices. The decision not to proceed with a publicly-funded BNRR has therefore produced a substantial saving to the Exchequer.

§ Dr. Wright
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate at current prices the total identifiable 387W expenditure incurred by Her Majesty's Government in relation to the proposed Birmingham northern relief road (a) as a public road and (b) as a toll road.

§ Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
About £11.4 million was spent by my Department in working up proposals for a publicly-financed Birmingham northern relief road, mainly on consultants' fees, purchase of land and objectors' costs. The subsequent costs to date of selecting a private sector promoter, negotiating a concession agreement, purchasing land and contributing to the preparation of draft orders are currently estimated at about £6.3 million. Both figures are at outturn prices: figures at current prices could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Some costs of land purchase are recoverable.

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the public inquiry into the Birmingham northern relief road will start; what is the name of the inspector appointed to carry out that report; what is the length of time allocated to carry out the inquiry; and what is the venue involved.

§ Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
I cannot answer any of these questions because the draft orders for the Birmingham northern relief road are yet to be published. Upon publication my Department will take the necessary steps, along with the planning inspectorate, to make arrangements for the public inquiry.