§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the decision was taken to give the go-ahead to a bypass at Newbury; who took the decision; what is the estimated cost of the scheme; and what is the estimate of the total amount for the acquisition of land for the scheme. [5326]
§ Mr. Watts[holding answer 12 December 1995]: The decision to go ahead with the Newbury bypass was taken by the then Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney), and announced on 5 July.
The estimated cost of the scheme is £101 million, excluding VAT.
The estimated cost of land acquisition is £82.5 million.