HC Deb 20 July 2001 vol 372 c537W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what criteria are applied in designating principal roads and principal destinations; [5521]

(2) when he last reviewed the designation of principal (a) roads and (b) destinations on the Isle of Wight. [5524]

Mr. Jamieson

Principal roads are the highest classification of local authority road. Decisions on their designation are based on whether the road is essential for traffic and whether it occupies a sufficiently important place in the national road system to justify central Government interest in its development. There are several principal roads on the Isle of Wight. Ministers have not received recent requests for reclassification of these roads. The Government do not have a designation of "principal destination".

Primary routes and primary destinations are a separate classification from principal roads. Primary routes are defined as routes which provide the most satisfactory route for through traffic between places of traffic importance. Places of traffic importance are known as primary destinations. There are no primary routes or primary destinations on the Isle of Wight. The Government office of the south-east regularly updates the primary route network and primary destinations, taking account of requests for redesignation by local highway authorities. No recent requests have been received in respect of the Isle of Wight.

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