HC Deb 17 October 2001 vol 372 cc1228-9W
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made on surfacing concrete roads with quieter material. [8127]

Mr. Jamieson

Having consulted with English local highway authorities and other interested bodies, we have established criteria for prioritising the surfacing of concrete trunk roads with quieter materials. These criteria are:

  1. 1. that wherever possible the application of quieter surfaces will fit in with normal maintenance needs;
  2. 2. that priority will be given to those sites where treatment would benefit the greatest number of people.
  3. 3. that the works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise disruption to general public and users of network;
  4. 4. that priority will be given to roads, opened since June 1988, where actual noise levels have turned out to be significantly higher than predicted at the time of the Public Inquiry.

I am pleased to be able to announce a list of schemes that satisfy the first criterion and are planned for the following three years (2002–03, 2003–04 and 2001–05). They are listed together with those that are planned for 2001–02.

Region Project description Length (km) Properties affected per km
Midlands M42 J9–10 northbound carriageway 6.8 174
Midlands A1 Winthorpe to North Muskham 4.1 37
Midlands A1 Long Bennington Bypass 3.5 41
2002–03 to 2004–05
Midlands A1 Winthorpe—Coddington 3 93
Midlands A1 Coddington—Balderton 3 37
Midlands A1 Carlton—North Muskham 5.3 12
Midlands A46 Widmerpool to Willoughby 4 1
Midlands A46 Willoughby to Six Hills 4 0
Midlands M42 J2–3 Crack and Seat contract 1 3.8 6
Midlands M42 J9–10 11.5 28
Midlands M69 Con 2 J21 to flexible section 10 8
Northern A180 Harbrough—Stallingborough 4 11
Northern A180 Great Coates—Pyewipe 3.5 15
Northern M62 Gilberdyke—Newport 3.8 1
Northern M180 Sandtoft J2 3.8 0
Northern M180 J2—Beltoft 3.8 2
South East Al2 Brentwood 2 4.4 87
South East Al2 Witham 7 117
South East M25 J26–27 Contract 2 (MP153/1–158/6) 4.4 44
South East A47 East Dereham Bypass (2000–01) 3.2 205
South East M20 J10–11 6.5 58
South East M 11 J9–8 Phase 1 7 27
South East M11 J6–7 SB7 11
South East M20 J11–13 (MP 100/1–109/2) 6 156
South West M5 J27 South to Willand 5 51
South West M5 J26–27 NB and SB (MP 217/B–220/0) 4.4 5
South West M5 J26–27 NB and SB (MP 220/0–223/6) 3.6 5
South West M5 J26–27 NB and SB (MP 223/6 to 227/2) 3.6 5

The Highways Agency is currently identifying additional schemes that satisfy the second and third criteria and could be added to this list. The agency has also identified 17 roads with concrete surfaces that have been opened since June 1988 and has instigated a programme of noise surveys to identify those that satify the fourth criterion. These roads are:

  • M18 Junctions 5–6
  • M20 Junctions 9–8
  • M23 Junctions 10–Northbound Lane 1
  • Al-M1 Link
  • All Besthorpe-Wymondham Bypass
  • A13 A1306 to M25 Junction 30
  • A27 Chichester-Havant
  • A30 Exeter-Honiton
  • A34 Peartree-Weston
  • A35 Tolpuddle/Puddletown
  • A50 Doveridge Bypass
  • A50 Derby Southern Bypass
  • A50 Foston-Hatton-Hilton Bypass
  • A52 Bottesford Bypass
  • A249 (M2 to Iwade)
  • A417/419 Cirencester and Latton Bypass
  • A483 (B5445 to Welsh Boundary).