HL Deb 13 January 1997 vol 577 c1WA
Lord Berkeley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will provide figures for each region in England, and separately for roads which are the responsibility of local authorities and the Highways Agency, for:

  1. (a) the estimated total number of structures which required assessment to carry 40-tonne lorries;
  2. (b) the total number of structures so far assessed;

Highways Agency Structure
RegionD Number which required assessmentA Number assessed so far (to 31st July 1996) Number so far identified as required strengtheningE Cost of strengthening so far identified (£ million)E
London 520 474 88 33
Northern 2,793 2,313 442 110
Southern 1,647 1,445 80 20
Midlands 1,980 1,815 253 63
Total 6,940 6,047 863 226
Notes:
AAssessments are required to ensure that structures can continue safely to carry existing traffic loading as well as proposed new 40-tonne lorries.
BThese numbers are based on information provided by local authorities as part of their 1997-98 Transport Policies and Programme submissions. The figures for assessment show those structures which local authorities expect to have assessed by March 1997. A further 10,000 structures are programmed for assessment in 1997–98.
CThis shows those structures which had been assessed as of July 1996 and which require work to enable them to bear 40-tonne lorries from 1999, but which have not already been strengthened.
DData for the Highways Agency cannot readily be disaggregated other than into its own four operating regions.
EThese figures include those structures which have already been strengthened.