Lord Berkeleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the proposed guided busway between Luton and Dunstable, what is the latest estimate of cost to benefit of this scheme reported in the recently completed study by Ove Arup for the Department for Transport; how much funding would be required from the private sector; and whether they will place a copy of this report in the Library of the House. [HL54]
Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: Because of the high level of funding that the proposed Luton to Dunstable translink scheme would require, my department commissioned Ove Arup to carry out an independent technical audit of the schemethis is standard practice for all major public transport schemes which would cost over £40 million. We received the report this summer and I have placed a copy in the Library of the House. The consultant's report suggested that the benefit cost ratio (BCR) of the scheme would be 1.38:1. However, further technical work is still being carried out and this figure should not be regarded as definitive, nor is there yet an agreed estimate of the degree of private funding that would be required if the Government were to provide support for the scheme.