HC Deb 26 January 2004 vol 417 c33W
Mr. Key

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Bristol and Bath to South Coast study will be published. [149881]

Mr McNulty

The study, which was commissioned to address the concerns of Bath and North East Somerset council and the South West Regional Assembly over the proposed detrunking of the A36/A46, has been further delayed because it has taken longer than anticipated for the consultants to complete the modelling and firm up their conclusions. However, I am pleased to be able to report that the revised final reports were cleared by the Steering Group when they met on 21 January 2004. It is anticipated that the reports will be printed at the end of January or in early February and copies will then be sent to the South West Regional Assembly for comment.

Following receipt of the study comments from the Regional Assembly, I will be in a position to make a response.