§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans his Department has to introduce measures to reduce traffic noise on the Al2 by Margaretting, Chelmsford; and if he will make a statement. [38359]
§ Mr. JamiesonIn my answer of 9 July 2001,Official Report, column 327W, I said that the precise timing of measures to reduce traffic noise on the Al2 between Margaretting and Boreham would be determined in the light of criteria which had then to be announced.
Those criteria were announced in October 2001. They are:
That wherever possible the application of quieter surfaces will fit in with normal maintenance needs;That priority will be given to those sites where treatment would benefit the greatest number of people;That the works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise disruption to the general public and users of the networkThat 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.In the light of these criteria, the Highways Agency has identified in its programme of future works a major maintenance scheme on the A12 Margaretting Bypass which will include the provision of a quieter surface. Although the Agency has not yet determined a start date for the scheme they currently expect that work will start within the next three to five years.