§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine the safety of the junction of the A59 in Lancashire at the Clitheroe and Sabden turnoffs and fund changes to it. [77654]
§ Mr. JamiesonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr Nigel Evans, dated 30 October 2002:
I have been asked by David Jamieson to reply to your recent parliamentary question about safety on the A59 trunk road at the Pendle Road/Sabden Road staggered junction in LancashireThe Highways Agency has been monitoring accidents at the junction following the improvements that were undertaken in 1999. The analysis of this accident data indicates a common factor in all of the accidents, namely, collisions between vehicles emerging from the side roads and traffic travelling through the junction on the A59. A number of options have been identified to address this type of accident, and a detailed traffic count and analysis of turning movements is currently under way.We are in discussion with the Lancashire Police and plan to meet with them again early next month to agree a strategy for implementing any changes. Our provisional view is that the most appropriate solution would be to make modifications to the existing junction. Our preferred options involve introducing right turn bans, to limit the risk of conflicts occurring, and measures to narrow the A59 carriageway through the junction to restrict opportunities for overtaking and to reduce speed.As you may be aware, the A59 is one of a number of routes identified for transfer to local highway authorities in the 1998 White Paper, "A New Deal for Trunk Roads". Under this process, known as detrunking, we are working to a programme for transferring responsibility for the A59 to Lancashire County Council in the spring of next year. This process allows for a fair and equitable transfer of funds to local highway authorities that the Agency would have spent on these roads, including finance for possible schemes such as this.Depending on the extent of the changes that are adopted to this junction, it may be possible for the Agency to undertake the work within funding allocated for this financial year. Should this not be the case, then it will be for Lancashire County Council as the new highway authority to decide on the improvements they wish to take forward from the funds that they are allocated.I hope this is helpful. If you would like any further information about this matter, please contact the Agency's Route Manager for the A59, Trevor Hunt, Sunley Tower. Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4BE (Tel 0161 930 5691).