§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his ministerial statement of 1 April 2003, on road improvements, what change in(a) road miles per year and (b) carbon dioxide emissions per year he estimates will result from the road-building proposals set out in the statement. [107376]
155W
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 4 April 2003]: Three new additions to the Highways Agency"s Targeted Programme of Improvements were announced by the Secretary of State on 1 April. These are A57/A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwhistle Bypass, A 14 Ellington—Fen Ditton Improvement and A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement.
The A57/A628 and A 14 schemes are expected to relieve the local road networks of traffic which is currently using those routes to avoid the trunk roads. This should result in a reduction of 9.125 million vehicle miles per year on local roads in the vicinity of the A57/A628 and 2.875 million vehicle miles per year on local roads around the A14. However an increase of up to 40 per cent. is expected in the traffic on the A628 corridor from induced traffic using the new bypass.
There is no reason to suggest that there will be a significant increase in road miles at A45/A46 Tollbar End as this is a junction improvement.
With regard to carbon dioxide emissions, there will be a reduction in noise and pollution in the villages near and along the A628 and those near the A 14, although an increase in emissions is predicted on all the improved roads because of induced traffic and normal traffic growth.
There will be an increase of 14,068 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions on A57/A628 Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwhistle Bypass, 4,835 tonnes per year on A14 Ellington—Fen Ditton and 5,604 tonnes per year at A45/A46 Tollbar End.