§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will publish the evidence used by officials of his Department to conclude that the dualling of the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury road(a) will decrease peak time traffic delays by up to 3.5 minutes and (b) may affect the great crested newt; [74340]
(2) if he will place in the Library copies of the full cost-benefit analysis for the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury dualling proposal. [74341]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Archie Norman, dated 3 March 1999:
The Minister for Transport, Glenda Jackson, has asked me to reply to you about the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury dualling proposals.A copy of the full cost benefit analysis for the scheme is being placed in the House of Commons Library. This document was published at the time of the Public Inquiry in 1993 and includes the evidence used to conclude that the proposed dualling will decrease peak time traffic delays by up to 3.5 minutes.741WA have asked for a copy of the Environmental Statement for the scheme to be sent to you. It was this document which noted that a pond occupied by great crested newts would be affected by the scheme. The document was published in 1992.