A1 (Hansard, 23 July 1999)

§ Mr. Cousins
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase the capacity of the Al Newcastle Western bypass from the Gateshead Metrocentre Interchange to the Ponteland Road Interchange. [92226]

§ Ms Glenda Jackson
I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 23 July 1999: The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Lawrie Haynes, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question. You asked "What plans he has to increase the capacity of the A1 Newcastle Western Bypass from the Gateshead Metrocentre Interchange to the Ponteland Road Interchange." I am replying in Lawrie's absence from the office. In advance of any recommendations from the Tyneside Area Study announced in 'A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England', the Highways Agency is looking at a variety of measures aimed at improving safety and reducing congestion on Gateshead and Newcastle Western Bypasses. These could include, variable message signs to warn drivers of problems ahead, closed circuit television cameras to monitor conditions, variable speed limits to improve the flow of traffic at busy times and rapid response breakdown vehicles to prevent, as far as possible, congestion from building up following an incident. We are pursuing the banning of certain slow moving vehicles at peak times. We will be developing a rolling programme of worthwhile measures to be carried out in the next few years.

§ Mr. Cousins
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to dispose of land held for the widening of the A1 between Scotch Corner and the junction with the A1/M1 Link; when such land disposal was approved; and if he will state the total area of land involved. [92227]

§ Ms Glenda Jackson
The Highways Agency currently owns 10 pieces of land or property bought in connection with the proposed widening of the A1 between Scotch Corner and the junction with the A1/M1 Link.
It is currently seeking to sell five of these plots, bought for the A1(M) Dishforth to Leeming and the A1(M) Bramham to Wetherby schemes. These schemes were 714W withdrawn from the trunk road programme in 1996; and the decision to sell was taken shortly after that, when route protection was withdrawn.
The Highways Agency is also selling one plot that was bought in connection with the A1(M) Walshford to Dishforth improvement but was not required for the scheme. The decision to sell was taken in 1997 following completion of the road works in that area.
The other four plots, bought in connection with the A1(M) Leeming to Scotch Corner scheme, are being retained because they are directly affected by the extant Orders for that scheme.
The total area of land involved is about 52 acres, of which around 49 acres are being sold.