§ Ms WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the environmental costs of traffic congestion; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleWe have no estimate of the environmental costs of traffic congestion. The Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment was asked to investigate methods for the monetary valuation766W of the environmental effects of road transport in 1989. Its report published in March 1992 recommended, and the Department accepted, that a substantial research programme would be required to develop reliable monetary values. This will clearly take considerable time to complete.