§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proposed M11 link road's environmental barriers along all its route comply with the highest standard in his Department's design guide for environmental barriers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NorrisThis is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 3 November 1994:
The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question about the design of environmental barriers on the Al2 Hackney Wick to M11 Link Road since this is an operational matter for the Highways Agency.The design of the barriers which it is intended to provide on the Link Road complies with the Department of Transport's current standards which are contained in the Specification for Highway Works and Technical Memorandum H14/76.The design guide to which you refer has been widely circulated in draft but will not emerge in its final form until the end of this year. Clearly it will be possible to take account fully of its recommendations only in future road designs, and there will be no requirement to revise existing designs or schemes retrospectively. However, we shall strive to provide the highest standard of environmental protection on the Link Road consistent with budget and programme.