§ Mr. Don FosterTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contribution his Department will make towards implementing the Government's commitment in the Rural White Paper to protect the countryside for its own sake; and if he will make a statement. [64527]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Department for Transport remains committed to ensuring transport fully contributes to sustaining and improving the English countryside. Since the publication of the Rural White Paper in 2000, we have, for instance
begun to introduce low noise surfaces on the existing trunk road network. By 2010, 60 per cent. of the network should have a low noise surface, substantially cutting road traffic noise in rural areas;ensured that the impacts on the environment and countryside of any new road proposals—whether for the trunk road network or proposed by local highway authorities—are clearly identified and appraised using our New Approach to Appraisal; andcontinued to work with local highway authorities and the Countryside Agency in order to develop local traffic management measures, which can help preserve the tranquillity of the countryside.