§ Lord Reaasked Her Majesty's Government:
With regard to the proposed improvement of the A.27 from Polegate to Lewes in East Sussex (a) what was the number, origin, destination and type of vehicle using the road each year since 1990 for which figures are available, and what are the projections for the existing and/or improved road in the years 2000, 2005 and 2010 (or the nearest date for which projections have been made); and (b) when are the results of the feasibility study of possible tunnelling for the proposed A.27 improvement going to be available.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport (Viscount Goschen)This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the noble Lord.
Letter to Lord Rea from the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. L. Haynes, dated 28 November 1994:
Viscount Goschen has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent parliamentary Question about the proposed improvement of the A.27 between Lewes and Polegate in East Sussex, as the information requested relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency.
East Sussex County Council carried out traffic counts on the A.27 and the surrounding road network during 1993 to enable us to complete information on the origins and destinations of vehicles using the A.27 in the area. The raw data have been submitted to the Agency but they have not yet been analysed. A considerable amount of work will need to be done to translate the figures into "readable" facts. I am therefore unable to supply you with the information you requested at this stage. I will arrange for it to be sent to you as soon as possible, but this is unlikely to be before the middle of next year. The data from this survey will be used to inform the detailed design stage.
The Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) flows have been predicted using 1990 traffic survey data. The attached table sets out the low growth (LG) and high growth (HG) figures for the A.27 with and without the proposed improvement for the years you requested.
A proposal for a tunnel south of Mount Caburn was rejected as uneconomic and not without environmental problems in the preferred route statement issued in July 1993.
We have however, undertaken to look at measures to reduce the impact of the preferred route on the surrounding area during the detailed design stage. This will include considering alternative means of crossing the Glynde Reach at a lower level than the bridge included in the preferred route proposals. I am afraid it is too early to say when this work will be completed.