§ Mr. RobathanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what systems are in place to ensure that road renewal schemes are prioritised for funding according to the number of people who suffer greater than 65 decibels levels of noise. [140804]
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§ Mr. JamiesonLocal roads are a matter for the relevant local authority. As far as the strategic road network in England is concerned low noise surfaces will generally be used as a matter of course when maintenance is due. And the Secretary of State announced to the House on 1 April 2003 that we expect quieter surfacing to have been installed on over 60 per cent. of the trunk road network, including all concrete stretches, within the period of the 10 year plan. Following consultation, we announced that four criteria would be used to prioritise the resurfacing of concrete roads. They are
Wherever possible, the application of quieter surfaces will fit in with normal maintenance needs;Priority will be given to those sites where treatment would benefit the greatest number of people;The works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise disruption to the general public and other users of the network; andPriority 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.