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Red Routes
Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the purposes of red routes.
Mr. Norris: The aims of the red routes are set out in chapter 5 of "Traffic Management and Parking Guidance", local authority circular 5/92. A copy of the circular is in the Library.
Buses (Disabled Access)
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of his negotiations with the European Commission for a directive to ensure that future generations of new buses will be more accessible to disabled people; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Norris: We have pressed for a number of changes to the proposed draft directive in the interests of safety, accessibility and the needs of bus and coach manufacturers and operators. We are currently awaiting revised proposals. Our aim, which we shall be taking forward in future discussions on the directive, is to ensure that low-floor buses are introduced where technically feasible.
Severn Bridge
Mr. Marland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the increase in the number of heavy goods vehicles using the (a) A48, (b) A40, (c) B4136 and (d) B4215/4221 heading towards the Severn bridge since one-way tolls on the Severn bridge have been imposed.
Mr. Watts: In April and May this year, Gloucestershire county council carried out a traffic survey for the Highways Agency which indicated that 575 more heavy goods vehicles than would be expected, allowing for traffic growth, were travelling westbound on roads through Gloucestershire per 24-hour day. The increases by individual roads were: (a) A48, 200 HGVs; (b) A40/A4136, 200 HGVs; and, (c) B4215/B4221, 175 HGVs. The eastbound HGV flows on these roads were slightly less than would have been expected.
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Not all the extra vehicles could be positively identified as avoiding the Severn bridge because of the one-way tolls.Transport Supplementary Grant
Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the bids made by each local
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authority in England for transport supplementary grant for 1995 96 broken down into (a) major highway schemes- -eligible for TSG, (b) structural maintenance on carriageways, (c) structural maintenance on bridges, (d) major public transport projects, (e) minor works-highways and public transport, (f) minor works-local safety schemes and (g) parking.Mr. Norris: The figures are shown in the following table:
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Bids for 1995-96 included in transport policies and programme submissions-all figures are in £ thousands
|Minor |Minor
|Major road |Major road |Structural |Major |works |works
|schemes |schemes |maintenance |Structural |public |(other than |local
|(TSG |(not TSG |on |maintenance |transport |(local safety|safety
Authority |eligible) |eligible) |carriageway |on bridges |projects |schemes) |schemes |Parking |Total
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
City of London |- |- |- |1,022 |- |2,794 |- |290 |4,106
Barking |1,630 |- |696 |134 |- |1,243 |600 |175 |4,478
Barnet |665 |- |500 |300 |- |5,806 |815 |- |8,086
Bexley |10,362 |- |1,310 |1,100 |- |1,796 |700 |550 |15,818
Brent |400 |- |1,165 |663 |- |12,493 |3,601 |- |18,322
Bromley |246 |850 |620 |370 |- |1,416 |320 |51 |3,873
Camden |- |- |4,358 |2,981 |- |1,783 |635 |- |9,757
Croydon |5,039 |- |2,340 |920 |- |4,243 |1,760 |500 |14,802
Ealing |550 |- |145 |126 |- |6,738 |600 |300 |8,459
Enfield |846 |- |2,775 |3,735 |- |2,582 |855 |- |10,793
Greenwich |3,900 |- |717 |1,053 |- |2,625 |660 |120 |9,075
Hackney |30 |- |844 |2,662 |- |4,751 |455 |- |8,742
Hammersmith |- |- |560 |1,380 |- |6,746 |600 |600 |9,886
Haringey |1,365 |- |620 |884 |700 |3,072 |370 |210 |7,221
Harrow |6,622 |- |419 |1,245 |- |2,772 |220 |- |11,278
Havering |- |- |115 |850 |- |1,402 |550 |589 |3,506
Hillingdon |3,289 |- |598 |2,456 |- |8,158 |2,968 |- |17,469
Hounslow |1,652 |- |1,831 |1,593 |- |6,666 |1,355 |784 |13,881
Islington |- |- |1,330 |1,693 |- |5,534 |1,414 |20 |9,991
Kensington |743 |- |271 |175 |- |1,165 |640 |- |2,994
Kingston |9,562 |- |1,110 |4,375 |- |2,788 |746 |1,195 |19,776
Lambeth |- |- |1,043 |1,330 |- |1,744 |766 |- |4,883
Lewisham |3,428 |- |424 |255 |- |1,865 |1,194 |- |7,166
Merton |10 |- |175 |150 |- |2,192 |870 |320 |3,717
Newham |3,031 |- |405 |4,361 |- |4,782 |2,361 |1,915 |16,855
Redbridge |- |- |786 |1,200 |- |5,578 |305 |183 |8,052
Richmond |- |- |217 |460 |- |4,938 |830 |- |6,445
Southwark |4,634 |- |2,002 |1,155 |- |1,590 |400 |- |9,781
Sutton |811 |- |170 |853 |- |4,864 |760 |- |7,458
Tower Hamlets |- |- |2,160 |1,094 |- |7,481 |578 |1,204 |12.517
Waltham Forest |742 |- |320 |178 |- |2,294 |845 |190 |4,569
Wandsworth |- |- |1,000 |995 |- |7,278 |2,400 |860 |12,533
Westminster |1,093 |4,912 |128 |5,565 |- |2,772 |1,825 |790 |17,085
Bolton |1,614 |- |1,114 |4,613 |- |3,462 |348 |98 |11,213
Bury |- |- |1,026 |1,250 |- |3,038 |315 |378 |6,007
Manchester |11,907 |725 |3,049 |3,339 |- |10,054 |1,550 |- |30,624
Oldham |3,000 |- |1,006 |3,062 |- |6,129 |660 |100 |13,957
Rochdale |- |- |1,000 |3,000 |- |1,000 |274 |- |5,274
Salford |10,971 |300 |1,927 |1,585 |- |8,435 |1,621 |- |24,839
Stockport |592 |- |3,228 |3,294 |100 |6,080 |541 |300 |14,135
Tameside |2,125 |- |1,500 |931 |- |3,744 |350 |15 |8,800
Trafford |18,972 |- |428508 |1,387 |- |3,298 |377 |100 |24,562
Wigan |1,798 |- |850 |1,390 |- |7,861 |350 |150 |12,399
Knowsley |16,260 |- |1,178 |405 |- |3,792 |541 |470 |22,645
Liverpool |3,200 |- |2,200 |1,200 |- |5,440 |1,200 |250 |13,490
St. Helens |3,574 |- |200 |300 |- |930 |150 |15 |5,169
Sefton |3,103 |- |524 |1,305 |- |2,627 |395 |651 |8,605
Wirral |2,180 |- |400 |2,145 |- |2,748 |400 |- |7,873
Barnsley |7,676 |- |1,373 |1,399 |- |2,022 |464 |- |12,934
Doncaster |17,950 |- |1,334 |2,625 |- |2,021 |800 |780 |25,510
Rotherham |595 |- |736 |2,740 |- |1,945 |350 |- |6,366
Sheffield |14,677 |- |4,350 |6,024 |600 |11,180 |750 |70 |37,651
Gateshead |908 |- |520 |660 |- |4,220 |500 |250 |7,058
Newcastle |10,859 |- |2,152 |2,835 |- |1,856 |700 |- |18,402
North Tyneside |450 |- |1,490 |660 |- |1,322 |300 |- |4,222
South Tyneside |66 |- |370 |1,130 |- |1,090 |360 |700 |3,716
Sunderland |2,525 |- |2,828 |1,537 |- |2,412 |1,250 |170 |10,722
Birmingham |30,602 |1,332 |4,565 |3,590 |- |7,632 |1,585 |952 |50,258
Coventry |12,829 |- |602 |857 |- |1,220 |533 |- |16,041
Dudley |13,288 |0 |1,608 |1,282 |0 |2,327 |690 |600 |19,795
Sandwell |5,758 |0 |3,135 |5,286 |0 |2,082 |738 |70 |17,069
Solihull |1,720 |0 |1,150 |469 |0 |646 |909 |1,250 |6,144
Walsall |3,342 |0 |1,280 |3,209 |0 |7,819 |850 |124 |16,624
Wolverhampton |11,524 |0 |3,306 |4,000 |0 |4,512 |820 |220 |24,382
Bradford |1,133 |0 |3,523 |4,161 |0 |6,561 |1,100 |0 |16,478
Calderdale |436 |0 |3,690 |2,318 |0 |2,372 |417 |0 |9,233
Kirklees |30 |54 |5,365 |2,283 |0 |6,163 |596 |100 |14,591
Leeds |18,655 |942 |4,000 |2,336 |2,750 |12,400 |1,825 |785 |43,693
Wakefield |9,490 |0 |1,628 |1,641 |0 |3,861 |1,230 |0 |17,850
Avon |9,493 |0 |3,505 |3,170 |5,020 |7,735 |1,261 |0 |30,184
Bedfordshire |8,895 |0 |1,476 |2,624 |500 |3,602 |751 |0 |17,848
Berkshire |9,844 |0 |2,202 |1,900 |0 |3,267 |1,746 |52 |19,011
Buckinghamshire |6,633 |75 |2,900 |1,800 |0 |2,290 |1,014 |1,060 |15,772
Cambridgeshire |4,020 |0 |3,901 |4,958 |0 |5,010 |3,030 |49 |20,968
Cheshire |20,816 |783 |15,841 |5,381 |0 |4,537 |900 |55 |48,313
Cleveland |10,540 |0 |3,148 |601 |0 |2,599 |786 |0 |17,674
Cornwall |7,535 |0 |3,439 |5,228 |0 |4,823 |830 |1,220 |23,075
Cumbria |5,930 |0 |3,000 |3,000 |0 |6,430 |600 |693 |19,653
Derbyshire |6,191 |0 |2,369 |2,650 |9,788 |5,745 |1,386 |549 |28,678
Devon |7,648 |292 |6,052 |5,342 |300 |8,054 |1,328 |576 |29,592
Dorset |2,300 |0 |1,800 |3,170 |0 |4,524 |806 |0 |12,600
Durham |7,735 |2,855 |2,095 |2,450 |0 |5,966 |500 |0 |21,601
East Sussex |10,244 |0 |4,924 |3,194 |4,000 |2,908 |791 |100 |26,161
Essex |9,689 |2,899 |5,900 |4,244 |0 |12,130 |3,620 |0 |38,482
Gloucestershire |6,633 |0 |2,548 |1,686 |0 |4,046 |937 |80 |15,930
Hampshire |17,353 |2,000 |12,241 |3,471 |0 |7,351 |2,379 |2,300 |47,095
Hereford and
Worcestershire |6,424 |0 |5,406 |1,851 |0 |5,316 |797 |402 |20,196
Hertfordshire |9,120 |0 |3,500 |4,450 |0 |5,704 |2,500 |0 |25,274
Humberside |6,038 |720 |5,998 |2,912 |0 |3,653 |1,000 |120 |20,441
Isle of Wight |2,390 |0 |810 |320 |0 |3,919 |270 |0 |7,709
Kent |143,034 |1,800 |15,745 |5,987 |0 |13,216 |6,376 |0 |186,158
Lancashire |15,862 |0 |11,035 |16,043 |1,940 |9,030 |2,650 |3,550 |60,110
Leicestershire |4,829 |0 |4,414 |3,080 |6,091 |8,581 |2,005 |0 |29,000
Lincolnshire |2,420 |0 |2,808 |3,150 |0 |4,823 |650 |117 |13,968
Norfolk |11,553 |11 |5,522 |6,300 |0 |6,303 |5,315 |685 |35,689
Northamptonshire |6,398 |410 |4,686 |2,350 |0 |1,680 |1,100 |250 |16,874
Northumberland |10,110 |0 |5,000 |6,370 |0 |1,190 |765 |445 |23,880
North Yorkshire |10,529 |0 |7,241 |7,210 |0 |5,687 |910 |1,142 |32,719
Nottinghamshire |7,634 |112 |5,720 |3,120 |6,136 |13,120 |1,144 |1,664 |38,650
Oxfordshire |1,228 |4,045 |3,756 |2,792 |0 |1,253 |2,148 |708 |15,930
Shropshire |6,062 |0 |4,257 |2,568 |0 |9,474 |540 |0 |22,90
Somerset |10,051 |0 |2,568 |4,853 |0 |3,351 |867 |0 |21,690
Staffordshire |16,606 |0 |8,000 |2,400 |0 |7,084 |910 |0 |35,000
Suffolk |3,815 |2,200 |7,141 |5,200 |0 |14,470 |1,450 |945 |35,221
Surrey |30,735 |0 |8,213 |9,453 |0 |10,867 |9,150 |30 |68,448
Warwickshire |180 |0 |3,825 |2,850 |0 |2,960 |1,505 |74 |11,394
West Sussex |4,294 |4,414 |2,110 |737 |0 |3,336 |2,936 |2,025 |19,852
Wiltshire |3,702 |0 |2,320 |450 |0 |2,796 |763 |0 |10,031
Greater Manchester
PTE |0 |0 |0 |0 |44,183 |8,523 |0 |0 |52,706
Merseyside PTE |0 |0 |0 |0 |11,548 |25,725 |0 |0 |37,273
South Yorkshire
PTE |0 |0 |0 |0 |72,020 |5,815 |0 |0 |77,835
Tyne and Wear PTE |0 |0 |0 |0 |1,765 |2,840 |0 |0 |4,605
West Midlands PTE |0 |0 |0 |0 |24,572 |10,559 |0 |0 |35,131
West Yorkshire PTE |0 |0 |0 |0 |400 |290 |0 |0 |690
Total |768,972 |31,731 |297,205 |276,876 |192,413 |570,798 |127,252 |38,470 |2,303,717
Marine Pollution
Mr. Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the Government to publish
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their detailed response to the report of Lord Donaldson's inquiry into the prevention of marine pollution from merchant shipping.Column 659
Mr. Norris: Work is well advanced in taking forward the report's recommendations and in preparing a response. We believe that it makes sense to delay publication to take account of current developments in the European Community and in the International Maritime Organisation. As a consequence, we now hope to publish the response in the new year.
Railways (Finance)
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external finance limit has been set for the railway industry for 1994 95; and what estimate he has made of Government grant support for 1994 95.
Mr. Watts: The external finance limit for the railway industry as a whole has now been set at £1,496 million. This represents an increase of £259 million on previous plans. The increase is met either from reallocations within existing Department of Transport programmes or from the reserve and does not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.
The British Rail and Railtrack EFLs have been set, respectively, at contributions of £272 million and £333 million and European Passenger Services EFL at a requirement of £177 million. Grant support, comprising franchising director and metropolitan railway grant, is estimated to be £1,924 million. Any further adjustments will be notified to Parliament.
A2
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 21 November, Official Report, column 19 , what arrangements he proposes for consulting the public on the proposed A2 Lydden-Dover improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Watts: I am pleased to announce that public consultation on this scheme will start at the end of this week with the local distribution of brochures describing the proposed improvement. Public exhibitions will be held on 9 and 10 December at Dover district council offices to give the public the opportunity of discussing the proposals with representatives of the Highways Agency and their consultants.
Those wishing to comment on the proposals are invited to write to the Highways Agency before the end of the consultation period on 3 February.
Transport Council
Mr. Raymond S. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the result of the Transport Council held in Brussels on 21 and 22 November.
Dr. Mawhinney: The Transport Council met in Brussels on 21 and 22 November. It agreed a resolution on ferry safety, calling for a number of detailed initiatives at International Maritime Organisation and Community level.
A common position was reached on a directive giving the force of European Community law to the Paris memorandum of understanding on port state control, which lays down rules for state inspection of foreign ships. At my request, the council agreed to call on the Commission to work with the countries of the Paris MOU group to monitor the standard of shipping in EC ports and
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to report back to the council within a year with proposals for tougher measures as necessary.A draft directive on mandatory reporting by ships--EUROREP--was discussed. Much of the text was agreed by the council, but the key issues of concern to the United Kingdom--finalising reporting lines, adoption of EUROREP by the IMO and the directive's date of entry into force--were referred back to the committee of permanent
representatives for further discussion.
The Commission outlined a proposal to consider granting individual exemptions from competition rules to groups of shipping companies that offer multimodal rates, provided they improve the efficiency of their land- side operations. Some member states supported the proposal. I, supported by a number of other delegations, pressed for the proposal to be considered afresh, in consultation with the commercial parties involved and with our major trading partners. In the absence of consensus, the presidency concluded that the position should be closely monitored; that the council should be consulted immediately if there were any unforeseen difficulties; that the transition to the new approach should be conducted in a reasonable and flexible manner; and that in any event the Commission should report to the council on experience with the new approach. The council also formally adopted three measures on which it had previously reached a common position: a directive on the training and certification of seafarers, a directive on rules and standards for classification societies and a regulation on port fees for oil tankers.
The council agreed a resolution calling for a European contribution to the development of a global satellite navigation system. It agreed that consideration of the negotiating mandates for aviation and land transport agreements and Switzerland should be resumed immediately, with a view to agreeing them, at the latest, at the next Transport Council in March 1995.
There was an exchange of views on the scope of a draft directive on the interoperability of the high-speed train network. The matter was referred back to Coreper for further discussion.
The council discussed a proposed directive on the appointment of dangerous goods advisers by companies concerned with the transport of dangerous goods. The United Kingdom, supported by a number of other delegations, questioned the need for such a directive. A compromise proposal was referred back to Coreper for further discussion. The council also discussed trans-European networks, air traffic management, road transport negotiations with eastern European countries and measures to help Community shipping. No votes were necessary.
Bedford
Sir Trevor Skeet: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many letters he has received from the Bedford area on the desirability of urgently completing the bypassing arrangements for the town;
(2) how many vehicles of all descriptions cross the (a) Newnham bridge, (b) Bedford Town bridge and (c) Prebend Street bridge in Bedford daily;
(3) what he estimates to be the cost of constructing a mile of motorway; and what were the figures (a) 10 and (b) 20 years ago.
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Mr. Watts: These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend. Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Trevor Skeet, dated 29 November 1994 :
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Questions about road schemes in Bedfordshire since these are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I will answer your questions in the order in which they appeared on the Order Papers for 22 and 23 November.
22 November 1994
35. The inclusion in the national roads programme of a bypass for any town is not dependent solely upon the size of that urban area. When assessing the inclusion of a potential scheme the Department must have particular regard to the benefits to local people, the levels of strategic traffic that will be removed from the town and to the benefits that will accrue to the national roads network.
The roads programme includes bypass schemes for several other towns around the country that are of a similar size to Bedford, including Hastings, Wigan, Gateshead and Carlisle.
36. The £38 million contract for the Bedford Southern Bypass, began in August this year and we expect the new road to open to traffic in Summer 1996.
With regard to other parts of the full bypass, in April this year the Secretary of State for Transport announced the outcome of his Review of the roads programme which examined the relative merits, in terms of economic costs and benefits, environmental impact, and the contribution of trunk road schemes to the strategic network. The Review concluded that the proposals for Bedford are in the main sufficiently important to be taken forward but that there are other schemes nationally that are considered to require a higher priority. The A428 A421 element of the Bedford Western Bypass has been placed in the longer term category and will be developed by the Agency as the road programme rolls forward. A consortium of local development interests has however suggested that they could provide, at their own expense, a single carriageway link along the protected corridor for the bypass between the A428 and A421 as part of new development for which planning permission has been sought. Progress on the new scheme would depend on the decisions on the planning application.
As you are aware, a public inquiry to hear objections to the proposals for the Norse Road link element of the Bedford Southern Bypass has been arranged for January next year. Progress on the scheme beyond that stage would be dependent upon the inquiry Inspector's Report and the joint decision of the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment.
The Agency will progress these schemes as quickly as circumstances allow but their implementation is subject to the completion of the remaining statutory procedures and to the availability of resources.
37. The Agency is not able to calculate a figure for any financial loss incurred by Bedford because it does not yet have a Bypass. We can, however, give an estimate of the benefits which would accrue generally from its construction and the relief it provides to the existing road network. Our cost/benefit computer programme (COBA) is used to calculate a monetary figure, which compares the cost of a new road with travel benefits, such as journey time, vehicle operating costs, and reduction in accidents. The figures are calculated over a 30 year period and discounted. A strongly positive figure represents good value for money.
For the Bedford Southern Bypass the benefits could be as much as +£82.7 million, for Bedford Western Bypass +£41.1 million and for the Norse Road Link +£13.0 million. I emphasise that these figures represent the benefit accruing globally, not just to the towns or villages bypassed.
38. Our forecasts suggest that traffic flows on the completed Bedford Southern Bypass will range between 17,000 to 23,000 vehicles (24 hour Average Annual Daily Traffic) along the length
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of the scheme. This information is taken from the latest traffic model that is being prepared for use at the Norse Road Link public inquiry.The Southern Bypass will include a full grade separated junction with the A6 trunk road south of the town in order to allow easy access for traffic between the two routes. From this point the existing A6 route through Bedford will be available for traffic travelling to and from the north.
39. In the past ten years £31,085,158 has been spent on trunk road schemes in northern Bedfordshire, £43,577,768 has been spent in the south of the County and £59,560,890 on the maintenance and on small improvements to the trunk road and motorway network covering Bedforshire as a whole. In addition, we make allocations to the County for their major schemes. Recent examples are the A5065 Luton Dunstable Relief Road, the A507 Shefford, Clifton, Henlow Bypass, the A422 Stagsden Bypass and the A507 Arlesey Stotfold Bypass. We also made significant contributions to the reconstruction of the County and Longholme Bridges at Bedford.
23 November 1994
35. By 24 November 1994, the Secretary of State for Transport had received 55 letters from local people, organisations and companies in response to the current "Getting Bedford Moving" campaign. A reply will be sent to all those who have written. 36. Traffic flows recorded on the 3 bridges in Bedford are: (a) Newnham Bridge: 30,600
(b) Bedford Town Bridge: 27,600
(c) Prebend Street Bridge: 28,400
(All vehicles, Average Annual Daily Traffic 1993)
37. The average cost of constructing a mile of motorway is about £7.6 million per mile, excluding VAT and design costs at 1992 prices. Using price indices we have calculated the equivalent cost 10 years ago to be about £6.6 million/mile and 20 years ago £2.11 million/mile.
Bedford (Road System)
Sir Trevor Skeet: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what towns of the size of Bedford or larger remain without by-passes in England;
(2) what are his plans for the completion of the full bypass for Bedford;
(3) what he assesses to be the loss incurred by Bedford as a result of the inability of its road infrastructure to cope with the traffic;
(4) how many vehicles the southern route in Bedford is expected to carry when completed; and how he expects vehicles to reach the A6 from the route travelling north;
(5) how much money has been allocated for major roads (a) in the south of the county of Bedfordshire and (b) in the north of the county during the past 10 years.
Mr. Watts [holding answers 28 November 1994]: These are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Laurie Haynes to Sir Trever Skeet, dated 29 November 1994:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Questions about road schemes in Bedfordshire since these are operational matters for the Highways Agency. I will answer your questions in the order in which they appeared on the Order Papers for 22 and 23 November.
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22 November 199435. The inclusion in the national roads programme of a bypass for any town is not dependent solely upon the size of that urban area. When assessing the inclusion of a potential scheme the Department must have particular regard to the benefits to local people, the levels of strategic traffic that will be removed from the town and to the benefits that will accrue to the national roads network. The roads programme includes bypass schemes for several other towns around the country that are of a similar size to Bedford, including Hastings, Wigan, Gateshead and Carlisle.
36. The £38 million contract for the Bedford Southern Bypass, began in August this year and we expect the new road to open to traffic in Summer 1996.
With regard to other parts of the full bypass, in April this year the Secretary of State for Transport announced the outcome of his Review of the roads programme which examined the relative merits, in terms of economic costs and benefits, environmental impact, and the contribution of trunk road schemes to the strategic network. The Review concluded that the proposals for Bedford are in the main sufficiently important to be taken forward but that there are other schemes nationally that are considered to require a higher priority. The A428 A421 element of the Bedford Western Bypass has been placed in the longer term category and will be developed by the Agency as the road programme rolls forward. A consortium of local development interests has however suggested that they could provide, at their own expense, a single carriageway link along the protected corridor for the bypass between the A428 and A421 as part of new development for which planning permission has been sought. Progress on the scheme would depend on the decisions on the planning application.
As you are aware, a public inquiry to hear objections to the proposals for the Norse Road link element of the Bedford Southern Bypass has been arranged for January next year. Progress on the scheme beyond that stage would be dependent upon the inquiry Inspector's Report and the joint decision of the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment.
The Agency will progress these schemes as quickly as circumstances allow but their implementation is subject to the completion of the remaining statutory procedures and to the availability of resources.
37. The Agency is not able to calculate a figure for any financial loss incurred by Bedford because it does not yet have a Bypass. We can, however, give an estimate of the benefits which would accrue generally from its construction and the relief it provides to the existing road network. Our cost/benefit computer programme (COBA) is used to calculate a monetary figure, which compares the cost of a new road with travel benefits, such as journey time, vehicle operating costs, and reduction in accidents. The figures are calculated over a 30 year period and discounted. A strongly positive figure represents good value for money.
For the Bedford Southern Bypass the benefits could be as much as +£82.7 million, for Bedford Western Bypass +£41.1 million and for the Norse Road Link +£13.0 million. I emphasise that these figures represent the benefit accruing globally, not just to the towns or villages bypassed.
38. Our forecasts suggest that traffic flows on the completed Bedford Southern Bypass will range between 17,000 to 23,000 vehicles (24 hour Average Annual Daily Traffic) along the length of the scheme. This information is taken from the latest traffic model that is being prepared for use at the Norse Road Link public inquiry. The Southern Bypass will include a full grade separated junction with the A6 trunk road south of the town in order to allow easy access for traffic between the two routes. From this point the existing A6 route through Bedford will be available for traffic travelling to and from the north.
39. In the past ten years £31,085,158 has been spent on trunk road schemes in northern Bedfordshire, £43,577,768 has been spent in the south of the County and £59,560,890 on the maintenance and on small improvements to the trunk road and motorway network covering Bedfordshire as a whole. In addition, we make allocations to the County for their major schemes. Recent examples are the A5065 Luton Dunstable Relief Road, the A507 Shefford, Clifton,
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Henlow Bypass, the A422 Stagsden Bypass and the A507 Arlesey Stotfold Bypass. We also made significant contributions to the reconstruction of the County and Longholme Bridges at Bedford. 23 November 199435. By 24 November 1994, the Secretary of State for Transport had received 55 letters from local people, organisations and companies in response to the current "Getting Bedford Moving" campaign. A reply will be sent to all those who have written. 36. Traffic flows recorded on the three bridges in Bedford are: (a) Newnham Bridge: 30,600
(b) Bedford Town Bridge: 27,600
(c) Prebend Street Bridge: 28,400
(All vehicles, Average Annual Daily Traffic 1993)
37. The average cost of constructing a mile of motorway is about £7.6 million per mile, excluding VAT and design costs at 1992 prices. Using price indices we have calculated the eqivalent cost 10 years ago to be about £6.6 million/mile and 20 years ago £2.11 million/mile.
DUCHY OF LANCASTER
Public Bodies
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give a full list of all persons appointed to public bodies identifying the salary paid and known political allegiances.
Mr. Robert G. Hughes: Such information is not held centrally. Details of the remuneration of full and part-time public appointments are given in "Public Bodies 1993", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Details of political allegiance of persons appointed are not sought.
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