§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of public expenditure on new trunk roads in each year from 1990–91 to 2010–11; and if he will make a statement. [156694]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe following table sets out figures for outturn and forecast public expenditure on building new trunk roads and motorways and improving and widening existing roads from 1990–91 to 2005–06. The data do not allow expenditure on new trunk roads to be separately identified. Spending in future years is being reviewed as part of the Spending Review 2004.
For completeness, the table also sets out equivalent figures for private expenditure on building new trunk roads and motorways, and, improving and widening existing roads.
The table must be interpreted with care as, for a number of reasons, the trunk road network has reduced in size over the last few years and so the figures do not form a consistent series.
(1) The government's policy as set out in A New Deal for transport: Better for Everyone (1998 Cm 3950) is that there are a number of trunk roads which mainly serve local and regional traffic and are more appropriately managed at local level. Following negotiations we have, since 1999, transferred around 2,000kms of these non-strategic roads to local highway authorities—about 20 per cent. of the original network. The data have not been adjusted to take this into account. We would hope to complete the transfer of the remaining non-strategic roads, another 1,000kms, over the next two years.
677W(2) In addition, trunk roads (excluding motorways) within Greater London were transferred to Transport for London in July 2000.
(3) The public expenditure numbers include payments to private operators for their investment. The table sets out figures for the payments made to the private sector, which are deducted to produce the net expenditure figure.
£ million Financial Year Public Expenditure Private Expenditure Estimated Shadow tolls Net Expenditure 1990–91 1,270 50 — 1,320 1991–92 1,277 29 — 1,306 1992–93 1,309 125 — 1,434 1993–94 1,345 75 — 1,420 1994–95 1,183 80 35 1,228 1995–96 1,100 101 25 1,176 1996–97 965 123 42 1,046 1997–98 787 238 88 937 1998–99 583 188 131 640 1999–2000 496 33 205 324 2000–01 506 28 202 332 2001–02 636 173 206 603 2002–03 731 223 220 734 2003–04 687 242 239 690 2004–05 724 150 261 613 2005–06 769 325 353 741 Notes: Net expenditure equals public expenditure plus private expenditure less payments to private operators. Private investment is that estimated in the Ten Year Plan.