M62 (Hansard, 1 November 1993)

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received in relation to his proposals for the M62 relief road; and how many such representations have been in favour and how many against.

§ Mr. Key
On 29 October 732 completed comment sheets, 175 letters and 650 printed pro-formas had been received so far. Most expressed concern about the proposals.

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold a public inquiry into all methods of reducing traffic congestion on the M62 motorway.

§ Mr. Key
If the scheme goes ahead following the public consultation a public inquiry would be held at which alternative solutions would be debated.

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many years after completion of the proposed M62 relief road it is expected that traffic flows will have reached capacity levels on(a) the proposed M62 relief road and (b) the M62 motorway.

§ Mr. Key
I expect the design capacity of the M62 motorway to be reached again 15 years after the opening of the relief road. It will be some years after that before the relief road reaches its design capacity.

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what economic appraisal he has made of the proposed M62 relief road using the cost-benefit technique COBA9; and if he will publish the appraisal during the public consultation process ending in February 1994.
9W

§ Mr. Key
The Department used its standard methodology to produce an economic appraisal for the relief road. This was published as part of the documents available at the consultation exhibition.

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average daily traffic flow on the M62 motorway at junction 17.

§ Mr. Key
A total of 123,400 vehicles per day based on 1992 figures.

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average daily traffic flow is forecast for the M62 in the opening year of the proposed M62 relief road.

§ Mr. Key
Average daily traffic flow forecast for M62, between junctions 15 and 17, in the opening year of the relief road is:

low growth—105,600 vehicles per day

high growth—126,000 vehicles per day

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of Stale for Transport to what extent the public and elected representatives at local and national level have been consulted over the traffic congestion on the M62 motorway and on possible methods of reducing that congestion other than the proposed M62 relief road.

§ Mr. Key
Local authorities and others were consulted last year on options for improving transport links across the Pennines. The Options, identified in a study commissioned from consultants, were published in the document "Trans-Pennine Study: Strategy Report".

§ Mr. Sumberg
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average daily traffic flow is forecast for the proposed M62 relief road in the opening year.

§ Mr. Key
Average daily traffic flow forecast for opening year is:—

Vehicles per day

Low growth 63,000

High growth 75,200