§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the spring deadline for the completion of the upgrade to the A406 at Sterling Way and Fore Street will be met; and what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be no further delay to the completion of these works. [33714]
§ Ms Glenda Jackson[holding answer 10 March 1998]: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Andrew Love, dated 11 March 1998:
The Transport Minister, Glenda Jackson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the improvements to the A406 at Sterling Way and Fore Street.When I wrote to you last July, the timetable I gave you for the expected completion of the tunnel and for the full contract was considered realistic. However, since then I am afraid that progress in completing the tunnel has been seriously affected by the unexpected high volumes of water penetrating the walls of the tunnel structure, a problem which became more prominent with the high rainfall of the early winter months. Happily, the contractor has sealed the leaks and the problem is now under control. An added difficulty is the complexity of the mechanical and electrical equipment, which requires highly specialised and skilled personnel.We now expect the tunnel to be completed and open to traffic this June, whilst the full contract is planned to be completed by late Summer. However, with the aim of bringing forward the completion of the full contract, we are working with the contractor to see whether any of the works planned to be carried out after completion of the tunnel, can be carried out in parallel with the tunnel works.If it would help, I would be happy to arrange a site visit, so that you can see the problems at first hand.