§ Tom CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what European Union financial support has been given for major inter regional road developments in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years. [185342]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe following table shows all the road projects and telematic schemes in the UK that have been awarded Trans-European Network (TENs) funding since the TENs fund was established in 1996.
At the current exchange rate this means that the UK has been awarded ¬30.618 million (equivalent to £20.413 million at present exchange rates). This is subject to confirmation from the Commission for two 2004 awards.
While TENs projects are awarded funding there can be a number of reasons as to why the payment could be less than the original award, including exchange rate fluctuations, changes in the scope of a project, or the Commission deciding that some costs are ineligible. It is therefore not possible to translate the awards into annual financial support.
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Reference Project title Award ¬ million Award £ million UK/02/1302 UK—Ireland—Benelux road link 2.500 1.667 — A120 Stansted to Braintree road upgrading — — UK/03/1302 UK—Ireland—Benelux road link 5.000 3.333 — A120 Stansted to Braintree road upgrading — — UK/04/ Loughbrickland to Beech Hill road1 2.500 1667 UK/04/ UK—Ireland—Benelux road link1 2.400 1.600 — A120 Stansted to Braintree road upgrading — — Total2 — 22.925 15.283 — Telematic schemes 0.300 0.200 UK/96/91 Study of National RDS-TMC implementation in the UK and its interconnection across national frontiers
0.300 0.200 UK/96/92 Study on road link network-real time traffic information 0.400 0.267 UK/97/275 Studies for traffic management and traffic information in Wales 0.400 0.267 UK/98/164 Study of National RDS—TMC implementation in the UK and its interconnection across national frontiers
1.000 0.667 UK/98/182 Telematics and traffic management on the TERN — — UK/01/4001 Streetwise — — — Studies 0.900 0.600 — Works 0.900 0.600 UK/02/4001 Streetwise — — — Studies 1.150 0.767 — Works 0.651 0.434 UK/03/4001 Streetwise — — — Studies 1.110 0.740 — Works 0.582 0.388 Total — 7.693 5.130 Grand Total — 30.618 20.413 1 Awaiting confirmation from the Commission. 2 Total subject to confirmation from Commission. Note: Exchange rate used £1 equals ¬1.5.
§ Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road schemes have been started in(a) the Thames Valley area and (b) Oxfordshire in each year since 1992. [186005]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 22 July 2004]: On the strategic road network construction has started on two major road schemes, since April 1998, in the Thames Valley area. These are as follows:
Actual/estimated Scheme Start of works completion A41 Aston Clinton Bypass August 2001 October 2003 A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement
March 2003 2004–05 Work has not started on any major strategic road schemes, Oxfordshire, since 1998. This information is available only for major road schemes costing in excess of £5 million starting after 1998 when the new Targeted Programme of Improvements was introduced.
On local roads there have been no starts on major schemes in the Thames Valley or Oxfordshire since 1998. For these roads the Department only make decisions about schemes over £5 million which are approved individually through the LTP process. Smaller schemes are funded by the local authorities out of their block allocations and the Department does not hold records of how that funding was used. We do not have records on major scheme starts before the new LTP system was introduced in 1999–2000 and getting it would be difficult, particularly since there have been 696W changes to local authority structures. Trying to find the information would take time and be at a disproportionate cost.
§ Richard Younger-RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department measures his target to maintain the strategic road network at optimum level; and what the level of the strategic road network was estimated to be at 1 April. [186166]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Department sets the Highways Agency an indicator to measure its performance in maintaining the network in a safe and serviceable condition. A new way of measuring the performance was introduced in the 2004–05 Highways Agency Business Plan, with a target to "achieve a road surface condition index score of 1001".
In consultation with the Department the Agency has developed an index that measures road surface condition. This is a major improvement on the previous indicator that was based on the percentage of the network that required investigation. The measure of road surface condition is based on a wider range of surveys covering rutting, unevenness, cracking and skid resistance. The target takes account of the fact that it is not practical or sustainable to maintain the whole road network in an as-new condition. The condition of the network is established, using the principles of minimising whole life costs taking into account disruption to road users. The condition at which the road network is to be maintained has been equated to a road surface condition index score of 100 and is the target level at which the road network will be 697W maintained year-on-year. To allow for variability/uncertainty in annual condition scores, a tolerance of 1 is allowed in the target.
We estimate that the level at 1 April was within the parameters set out i.e. an index of 1001. The actual figure will be calculated and the result audited during 2004–05.
§ Richard Younger-RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government is on track to achieve its target of widening 360 miles of strategic road network by 2010; and if he will list the schemes involved in the widening programme indicating the(a) miles of road widened, (b) construction cost, (c) scheduled start of construction, (d) expected completion date and (e) status at 1 April. [186167]
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Stage reached or 2004–05 key/critical event Latest estimated Route Estimated dates Scheme (as at 1 April 2004) outturn cost (£m) miles of completion A1 Willowburn-Denwick Improvement Completed Scheme 9.0 2.6 — A11 Roudham Heath- Attleborough Dualling Completed Scheme 50.0 6.2 — A43 Towcester to M40 Dualling (including A43 Whitfield Completed Scheme 97.0 6.9 — Turn-Brackley Heath Improvement and A43 M40 to B4031 Dualling) A46 Newark-Lincoln Improvement Completed Scheme 41.0 8.1 — A1033 Hedon Road Improvement, Hull Completed Scheme 85.0 4.2 — A2 Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 1 Road Open 20.0 3.8 2004–05 A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement Road Open 76.0 1.3 2004–05 A1 (M) Wetherby to Walshford No Event-Already on Site 34.0 3.7 2005–06 M25 J12–15 Widening No Event-Already on Site 105.0 6.8 2005–06 M5 J17 to J18A Northbound Climbing Lane (Hallen Hill) Start of Works 6.0 0.9 2005–06 A1 (M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor No Event-Already on Site 161.0 10.2 2006–07 A249 Iwade-Queenborough Start of Works 81.0 3.3 2006–07 A500 City Road and Stoke Road Junctions No Event-Already on Site 60.0 1.0 2006–07 M60 J 5–8 (formerly M63 J6–9 Widening) No Event-Already on Site 117.0 4.7 2006–07 A120 Stansted Braintree Road Open 130.0 15.0 Open July 2004 A2 Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 2 Publish Draft Orders and 101.0 2.5 — Environmental Statement A2/A282 Dartford Improvement Secretary of State's decision 80.0 2.1 — announced A303 Stonehenge No event-public inquiry 223.0 5.8 — already started A11 Attleborough Bypass Improvement Public Inquiry 29.0 3.0 — All Five ways to Thetford Improvement Publish Draft Orders and 60.0 9.1 — Environmental Statement M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill Publish Draft Orders and 69.0 26.6 — Environmental Statement A3 Hindhead Improvement Public Inquiry 236.0 5.1 — A38 Dobwalls Bypass Publish Draft Orders and 36.0 2.5 — A595 Parton -Lillyhall Improvement Public Inquiry 25.0 3.2 — A46 Newark-Widmerpool Improvement Preferred Route 186.0 16.9 — Announcement A30 Bodmin Indian Queens Works price reviewed/ 69.0 7.2 — confirmed A483 Pant-Llanymynech Bypass ECI Tenders Invited 41.0 1.6 — A66 Temple Sowerby ECI Contract Awarded 23.0 3.1 — A1 Dishforth-Barton (2 schemes-Dishforth Leeming, Leeming No Event-ECI Contract 325.0 24.5 — Barton) already awarded A1 Bramham-Wetherby (including Wetherby Bypass) Publish Draft Orders and 62.0 3.8 — Environmental Statement A47 Blofield to North Burlingham No Event-ECI Contract 15.0 1.8 — already awarded A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Dualling ECI Tenders Invited 9.0 3.0 — A66 Scotch Corner to Carkin Moor Dualling ECI Tenders Invited 11.0 3.8 — A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement Secretary of State's decision 44.0 4.8 — announced M5 J19 to J20 Southbound Climbing Lane (Naish Hill) Environmental Statement 8.0 1.0 — Published M5 J19 to J20 Northbound Climbing Lane (Tickenham Hill) Environmental Statement 8.0 0.8 — Published A57/A628 Mottram-Hollingworth-Tintwhistle ECI Contract Awarded 103.0 0.8 — MI J6A to J10 Widening ECI Contract Awarded 241.0 8.2 —
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Government are on track to deliver 360 miles of widening of the strategic road network by the end of 2010–11 (within the period of the 10 Year Plan).
The following table provides a list of current and completed major schemes that are expected to contribute 387 route miles of widening by the end of 2010–11. Alongside each scheme is detailed: the miles of route widened; the Stage Reached or 2004–05 Key/ Critical Event as at 1 April 2004; the latest estimated outturn cost; and the anticipated dates of completion for those schemes that have already started works, or are expected to start works in 2004–05
Firm decisions have yet to be made on start of works for the remainder of the current programme so no forecast dates of opening are possible.
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Stage reached or 2004—05 key/critical event Latest estimated Route Estimated dates Scheme (as at 1 April 2004) outturn cost (£m) miles of completion M1 J10 to J13 Widening ECI Contract Awarded 382.0 7.9 — A1 Morpeth to Felton Dualling ECI Tenders Invited 84.0 7.8 — A1 Adderstone to Belford Dualling ECI Tenders Invited 14.0 1.3 — A505 Dunstable Northern Bypass (aka Ml -A5 Link Road) ECI Contract Awarded 48.0 2.8 — A421 Bedford to M1 Junction 13 Preferred Route 171.0 7.5 — Announcement A21 Tonbridge Bypass to Pembury Dualling ECI Contract Awarded 65.0 2.6 — A590 High and Low Newton Bypass ECI Tenders Invited 22.0 2.7 — A30 Garland Cross to Chiverton Cross Preferred Route 125.0 8.5 — Announcement A30 Temple to Higher Carblake Improvement ECI Contract Awarded 41.0 1.5 — A27 Southerham-Beddingham Improvement Publish Draft Orders and 19.0 1.6 Environmental Statement M1 J21 to J30 Widening Awaiting TPI Entry (achieved) 1915.0 39.8 — M25 J1b to J3 Widening Awaiting TPI Entry (achieved) 66.0 3.1 — M25 J16 to J23 Widening Awaiting TPI Entry (achieved) 496.0 17.6 — M25 J23 to J27 Widening Awaiting TPI Entry (achieved) 419.0 13.6 — A23 Handcross to Warninglid Widening Awaiting TPI Entry (achieved) 41.0 2.1 — A453 Widening (M1 J24 to A52 Nottingham) Awaiting TPI Entry (achieved) 89.0 9.7 — M6 Toll Road Completed Scheme * 27.0 — A2/M2 Cobham to Junction 4 Widening Completed Scheme 280.0 10.6 — Total — 387.6 —
§ Richard Younger-RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government achieved its target of delivering 100 major trunk road junction schemes by 2003. [186169]
§ Mr. Jamieson97 out of 100 small trunk road improvements to tackle safety and congestion, announced in June 2000, have been completed. The remaining three will be completed during 2004–05.