§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the costs of discretionary blight payments to people in homes near the Birmingham northern relief road; and what contribution to these costs will be paid by Midland Expressway Ltd. [12260]
§ Dr. StrangThe total cost attributable to discretionary purchase under sections 246(2)(a)/(b) and 248 of the Highways Act 1980 is some £1.5 million. The full cost of acquiring all land and property for the Birmingham northern relief road and compensation payments will be met by Midland Expressway Ltd.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what controls he will have on the level of tolls on the Birmingham northern relief road and the rates charged for heavy goods vehicles relative to those for other vehicles. [12259]
§ Dr. StrangThe level of tolls and their applications to different classes of vehicle will under the legislation be matters for the concessionaire.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has made a cost-benefit analysis of the long-term economic advantages of the Birmingham northern relief road. [12257]
§ Dr. StrangA cost benefit analysis carried out in 1991 showed the scheme proposed by Midland Expressway Ltd. having a benefit:cost ratio of more than 2:1.
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§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many subcontractors to Midland Expressway Ltd. for the Birmingham northern relief road project are companies in the(a) Kvaerner Group and (b) Autostrada Group.[12256]
§ Dr. StrangThe construction of the Birmingham northern relief road will be controlled by companies associated with the Kvaerner and Autostrada Groups. The work to be subcontracted will be specified at a later stage.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what forecasts his Department has made of the effect of the Birmingham northern relief road on the percentage change in traffic levels on motorways in the west midlands. [12258]
§ Dr. StrangThe Birmingham northern relief road will provide a high-quality free-flowing route for through traffic to bypass the very heavily congested section of the M6 between junctions 4 and 11. The M6 will remain a high-standard route through the west midlands conurbation and is expected to be used to the full extent of its available capacity. Removal of through traffic from the M6 will enable traffic from lower standard local roads and trunk roads to use the M6, thereby easing traffic flows on those routes. As a consequence, M6 traffic levels are not forecast to reduce to a significant extent.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the details of the penalty clause in the contract between the Government and Midland Expressway Ltd. in relation to the Birmingham northern relief road, including the compensation which would be payable(a) to Midland Expressway Ltd. and (b) to other parties and subcontractors if the Birmingham northern relief road did not go ahead. [12255]
§ Dr. StrangThe BNRR concession agreement includes a number of detailed provisions for compensation payable by either party if the agreement is terminated under various possible circumstances. Under those provisions, the risk that the public inquiry outcome did not allow the scheme to proceed rests wholly with the concessionaire.
I will write to my hon. Friend with further details on this matter.
§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the concession agreement covering the Birmingham northern relief road. [12229]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI will arrange for a copy of the concession statement that was put before the public inquiry to be placed in the Library, and will consider further with the concessionaire what further material can be provided.
§ Dr. JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will issue planning guidance to restrict development along the Birmingham northern relief road corridor. [12261]
§ Angela EagleAny proposals for such development would be assessed against existing planning policy guidance and policies in regional planning guidance and development plans. In particular, local planning authorities would need to assess any proposals along most of the length of the relief road against the policies in530W planning policy guidance note 2 on green belts. PPG2 maintains the presumption against inappropriate development within green belts and requires very special circumstances to justify inappropriate development.