Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average cost per mile of new motorways. [21670]
§ Mr. WattsThis is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Laurie Haynes to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 4 May 1995:
The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts MP, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning new motorway costs.The cost of building a new motorway varies from site to site and is dependent on the standard of provision—ie, the number of traffic lanes in each direction, location, terrain and ground condition.The typical cost of constructing a mile of new three lane motorway is shown below at 1994 prices.
£ million Road standard environment Typical cost Dual 3 lane motorway in rural environment 8 to 17 Dual 3 lane motorway in urban environment 14 to 20 The above includes the cost of design and the cost of purchasing land but excludes VAT.