HC Deb 15 July 2002 vol 389 cc7-8W
Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library copies of(a) guidelines and regulations and (b) statutory requirements issued and published within the last two years with regard to improving the co-ordination of road and bridge maintenance in urban areas. [68307]

Mr. Jamieson

The Highways Act 1980 places a duty on local authorities to maintain highways, but this does not extend to the co-ordination of road and bridge maintenance.

In DfT's guidance on the Local Transport Plan Annual Progress reports for 2002–03, local authorities are encouraged to adopt an integrated highway maintenance policy and to ensure that this policy contributes towards delivering the vision for towns and cities contained in the Urban White Paper.

The Code of Practice for Maintenance Management "Delivering Best Value in Highway Maintenance", published in July 2001, is an advisory code for local authorities and contains guidance on integrated highway network management.

Copies of these publications are being placed in the Libraries of the House.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made as to the quality of road and bridge maintenance in urban areas over the last two years. [68308]

Mr. Jamieson

In July 2000 all local highway authorities in England produced local transport plans (LTPs), which set out the condition of their roads and bridges, as well as work planned over a five-year period (2001–6). These documents were examined by the then DETR, in order to calculate authorities' funding requirements for road and bridge maintenance, over the five-year period.

Authority Title of bid approved Wards specified
Blackpool Lifestyle line Park, Clifton.
Bristol Lawrence Weston Transport Group Kingsweston.
Essex Harlow Community Transport dial a ride n/a
Greater Manchester Wythenshawe demand response service Baguley, Benchill, Brooklands, Sharston, Woodhouse Park.
Call centre n/a
Oldham bus service Werneth, Hollinwood.
Halton Daresbury Park bus service n/a
Accessible Transport n/a

Last year, all highways authorities submitted annual progress reports (APRs), which included any supplementary road and bridge maintenance funding requirements, as well as progress made in this area since the previous year.

Mrs. May

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made as to the disruption to traffic caused by road and bridge maintenance in London in (i) 1998 and (ii) 1999. [69183]

Mr. Jamieson

During the period in question, my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions, through the Highways Agency, was highway authority for trunk roads in London. It was then—and still is—the Highways Agency's practice to assess the likely traffic impacts of maintenance projects before they start and plan them so as to minimise disruption. In 1998 and 1999, the planning of highway maintenance on other roads in London was the responsibility of the relevant authority.