House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 1 Nov 1996 (pt 14)

TRANSPORT

M1 Slip Road Viaduct

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he instructed work to begin on the slip road viaduct at junction 2 of the M1 motorway to allow it to carry 44-tonne vehicles; how much the project will cost; and when he expects it to be completed. [19]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 4 November 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking him when he instructed work to begin on the slip road viaduct at junction 2 of the M1 motorway to allow it to carry 44 tonne vehicles, how much the project will cost and when he expects it to be completed.

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Consulting Engineers were instructed on 4 April this year to examine options for strengthening the slip road viaducts to carry vehicles of up to 44 tonnes complying with current Construction and Use Regulations for combined road/rail transport. Preparatory site work was started on 21 October. The main strengthening contract is out to tender and is due to start in December 1996 with completion during the Spring of 1997.
The overall cost of the project is estimated to be £4m.

Motorways and Trunk Roads

Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at how many places on the national, motorway and trunk road motorway (a) speed limits are imposed as a result of a maintenance problem awaiting attention, (b) areas of carriageway or hard shoulder have had access restricted because of a maintenance problem awaiting attention, (c) signs have been erected to warn of a slippery surface and (d) weight restrictions have been imposed as a result of structures unable to carry vehicles of up to 38 tonnes gvw. [243]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Robert Ainsworth, dated 4th November 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking at how many places on the motorway and trunk road network (a) speed limits are imposed as a result of a maintenance problem awaiting attention, (b) areas of carriageway or hard shoulder have had access restricted because of a maintenance problem awaiting attention, (c) signs have been erected to warn of a slippery surface and (d) weight restrictions have been imposed as a result of structures unable to carry vehicles of up to 38 tonnes gvw.

At the present time, temporary speed restrictions apply at the following locations:
M1 Junction 1 Southbound
M1/M621 Junction in West Yorkshire
M11 at Duxford in Cambridgeshire Southbound
M180 North Ings Interchange in South Yorkshire
M606/M62 Junction in West Yorkshire
A1 at Winthorpe in Nottinghamshire
A1/A41 Fiveways Junction in London
A194(M) at Blackfell Bridge in Tyne & Wear
A40 at Golden Valley Bridge in Gloucestershire
A42 at Lount in Leicestershire
A500 near Nantwich in Cheshire
and at 13 separate locations on the A14 in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

At these places areas of the carriageway or hard shoulder have been coned off pending maintenance work:

M1 at Smithywood in South Yorkshire
M1 at Birdwell Quarry in South Yorkshire
M1 at Stainborough in South Yorkshire
M1 Junction 1 Southbound
M1 Junction 2 Slip Roads
M1 Junction 2 Northbound

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M2 Medway Bridge
M2 Gillingham Link Bridges
M4 Junction 13
M5 Junctions 1-2 Northbound and Southbound
M5 Junction 9 Northbound Slip Road
M6 Junction 43-44 Southbound
M6 Junction 8 Northbound and Southbound
M62 J18-19 at Birch Services
M62 Eastbound west of A1
M66 J0-1 at Lower Park
M180 North Ings Interchange in South Yorkshire
M606/M62 Junction in West Yorkshire
A102(M) Northbound at Blackwall Tunnel
A194(M) at Blackfell Bridge in Tyne & Wear
A13 Old Roding Bridge in London
A13 Beam Bridge North in London
A2 at Littledale Viaduct
A40 at Golden Valley Bridge in Gloucestershire
A41 at Whitchurch in Shropshire

Signs have been erected to warn of a slippery surface as follows:

M62 Junction 29 Eastbound Slip Road
M62 Junction 33 Eastbound Slip Road
M62 Junctions 32-33 in West Yorkshire
M62 Junction 32 Westbound Slip Road
A1 Ferrybridge Southbound Slip Road in West Yorkshire
A1 Darrington Southbound Slip Road in West Yorkshire
A1 Womersley Slip Road in West Yorkshire
A1 Redhouse Northbound Slip Road in South Yorkshire
A5 Catthorpe Crossroads in Warwickshire
A5 Lilbourne Truck Stop in Warwickshire

At these locations the problem is generally deformation of the road surface. There will also be other places where a routine survey of skidding resistance indicates a possible problem and the need for closer investigation. Signs warning of a slippery surface are erected at these locations too while these further investigations are carried out.

Finally, structures supporting motorways or all-purpose trunk roads which are currently restricted to vehicles of less than 38 tonnes are:

A13 Movers Lane Flyover in East London
A40 Golden Valley Bridge in Gloucestershire

Road Contracts

Mrs. Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the amount spent on (a) accountants, (b) lawyers, (c) consultants and (d) other professionals in relation to design, build, finance and operate road contracts since their inception. [20]

Mr. Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

1 Nov 1996 : Column: 363

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 4 November 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking if he will list the amount spent on (a) accountants, (b) lawyers, (c) consultants and (d) other professionals in relation to Design Build Finance and Operate road contracts since their inception.
The information you have requested cannot be disaggregated for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
However, we can disclose that the amount spent on accountants, lawyers and technical advisors since 1994 in support of the Design Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) programme totals £13.5m. This figure does not include consultants appointed to design schemes which subsequently became subsumed within a DBFO project.

Maritime Search and Rescue Operations

Ms Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the number of recorded maritime search and rescue operations requiring helicopter support in (i) the Dover strait, (ii) St. George's channel and (iii) the North sea over the last three years; [1054]

(3) what was the number of recorded maritime search and rescue operations involving British military and civilian services around United Kingdom coastal waters over the last three years; [1055]

(4) if he will list (a) the number of recorded maritime search and rescue operations occurring around United Kingdom coastal waters requiring support from foreign search and rescue services over the last three years, (b) the date of those incidents, (c) the location of those incidents and (d) the nationality of those services involved; [1056]

(5) what consultation has been conducted with representatives of foreign search and rescue services over the recent changes to helicopter search and rescue cover within the United Kingdom. [1014]

Mr. Bowis: I have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from C. J. Harris to Ms Glenda Jackson, dated 29 October 1996:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about search and rescue operations, helicopter support in those operations and recent search and rescue helicopter consultation.
The number of recorded maritime search and rescue operations requiring helicopter support in the (i) Dover Strait, (ii) St George's Channel and (iii) The North sea over the last three years were: