§ Mr. Robert BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times repairs and works have been carried out on that section of the Al known as the Doncaster bypass during the last 10 years; and on which dates disruption to traffic flows was necessitated.
§ Mr. WattsThis is an operational matter for the Highways Agency and I have asked the chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Robert Banks, dated 18 October 1994:
The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about road works during the last 10 years on the Doncaster Bypass. This is an operational matter for which the Highways Agency is responsible.I have taken the Doncaster Bypass to be the 17 mile motorway stretch of the Al between Blyth and Redhouse which was built about 30 years ago and has been undergoing phased reconstruction since 1987 to ensure that it remains safe to carry the large volumes of traffic which use it and, in some places, to deal with the effects of mining subsidence.The stages in this reconstruction work were planned to maximise the life of the carriageway while limiting the length under repair at any one time so as to minimise disruption to traffic flows. The stages have been as follows:J34—J35 (Blyth to Wadworth)1985–86—southern section, southbound carriageway resurfaced to extend its life;June—October 1990: southern section, northbound carriageway reconstructed;December 1991—April 1992: central section reconstructed and June1992—November 1992: northern section reconstructed.J35 (Wadworth)June—August 1991 short section reconstructed near the intersection.J35–36 (Wadworth to Warmsworth)October 1990—May 1991: reconstructed.J36–37 (Warmsworth)—Marr)June—November 1989: southern section reconstructed;June—October 1994 northern section reconstructed. This contract was completed three weeks early on 15 October.179WJ37–138 (Marr—Redhouse)December 1987—May 1988: reconstructedMay—August 1990: repairs to Leys Hill Bridge.Two further contracts will be needed later this financial year to complete the programme of reconstruction and repair on the Doncaster Bypass. These are:J34—j35: southern section, southbound carriageway reconstruction (starting February 1995); andJ36—j37: reconstruction of Albert Road Bridge (starting December 1994).In the second case, all traffic lanes will be kept open by using the hard shoulder.In all cases these essential maintenance and repair works have been planned and carried out to minimise disruption to traffic flow. We also publicise schemes in advance so that road users can plan their journeys to avoid any likely delays, especially at peak times. For your information, I enclose a copy of our current leaflet about road works in Yorkshire and Humberside.