§ Baroness Warwick of Undercliffeasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will announce the allocation of capital resources for expenditure on local transport infrastructure in 2000–01. [HL423]
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Lord Macdonald of Tradeston)This is the second year of the three-year £2.4 billion package for local transport under the Comprehensive Spending Review, including £700 million of additional expenditure.
The total allocation for 2000–01 will be £754.9 million, which will provide for major improvements to local transport infrastructure.
Schemes approved or provisionally approved include innovative proposals for integrating public transport; providing greater travel choice; and providing new bypasses to take through traffic away from local communities, thus improving their quality of life.
We have also made provision of £301 million for highway maintenance—up 24 per cent on this year's figure and in line with our commitment to reverse previous cuts in this area. In addition, we have increased general allocation for public transport, minor road improvements, walking, cycling and safety schemes.
In addition, we are providing an extra £18 million for local authorities to improve public transport ahead of the introduction of congestion charging or workplace parking schemes.
Local Transport Plans replace the Transport Policies and Programmes regime and are the cornerstone of our integrated transport policy. They provide for a longer-term, more strategic approach and greater certainty of funding for local authorities.
63WACopies of the press notice containing a full analysis of the settlement have been placed in the Library of the House.