HC Deb 18 June 2003 vol 407 cc220-1W
Mr. Kenneth Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects construction work to begin on the planned dualling of the A46 Fosse Way between Widmerpool and Newark-on-Trent; [119171]

(2) when he expects construction work to commence on the planned dualling of the A453 trunk road between Kegworth and Clifton in Nottinghamshire. [119172] I

Mr. Darling

[holding answer 13 June 2003]: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the right hon. Member.

Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Kenneth Clarke, dated 18 June 2003:

I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Transport to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the start dates for construction work on the proposed dualling schemes on the A46 between Widmerpool and Newark and the A453 between Kegworth and Clifton in Nottinghamshire.

Public consultation on our preferred option for the A46 scheme commenced at the end of March this year and local exhibitions were held in April. The public consultation period ends on 20 June 2003. The future programme depends on how quickly the various statutory processes can be completed but we are currently planning to announce a preferred route in Spring 2004, with a start of works sometime during 2007.

The proposals for the A53 scheme are at an early stage. As a result of recommendations made in the A453 Nottingham to M1 Multi-Modal Study, the Secretary of State for Transport announced last December that he was minded to include a scheme in the Targeted Programme of Improvements (TPI). At the same time, he asked the Highways Agency to carry out further preliminary assessment work. Assuming that a scheme is included in the TPI later this year, construction work is currently scheduled to commence in 2008.

As with the A46, achievement of this date is subject to the satisfactory completion of the required statutory procedures.

If you would like any further details about these proposals, our staff would be pleased to help. The Project Manager for the A46 scheme is Geoff Bethel and the Project Sponsor for the A453 scheme is John Holt. Both can be contacted at the Agency's offices at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1BL; Geoff on 0121 678 8137 and John on 0121 678 8314.