§ Mr. ColmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to consult on which roads should form the strategic London road network for which the Greater London Authority will have responsibility. [45989]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonWe have today published our consultation document on a strategic London road network. Copies have been placed in the Library and sent to the London local authorities, the Association of London Government, London Transport and others with an interest in the movement of people and goods in London.
This fulfils an undertaking in the White Paper—A Mayor and Assembly for London (Cm 3897 published on 25 March 1998) to consult about precisely which roads should be part of the strategic London road network. The White Paper made clear that we start from the presumption that this network should be based on the present primary and red route networks. This comprises about 220 miles of trunk roads and 105 miles of borough roads. The transfer of the trunk roads to the GLA will represent a major shift in responsibilities from central to local Government.
The consultation document sets out possible additions to and deletions from the primary and red route networks in order to form the strategic network for which the Greater London Authority will take responsibility. Comments on the proposals are invited by 7 August.
637W