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7.36 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (Ms Glenda Jackson): I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Blizzard) for his congratulations, and I return the compliment by congratulating him not only on securing the debate, but on being returned to this House for what I have no doubt will be a long parliamentary career. He touched on many of the central issues affecting his constituency--its location, and the serious effects that this has on the economy, and its transport infrastructure.
I am aware of concerns from the coastal areas to the north and east of East Anglia that their remote location and lack of high-quality links to the national road network are adversely affecting their economies and development prospects. In Lowestoft--the main town in my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney's constituency--these concerns are coupled with worries over the effect of heavy traffic flows and congestion on main roads in the town. The concentration of movements on Mutford lock bridge and the bascule bridge, which are the only connections between the two halves of the town, is a significant problem. My hon. Friend gave some detail of the difficulties.
One of the first priorities of the new Government is the creation of effective regional development agencies across the country. Their task will be to co-ordinate regional economic development, help attract inward investment, and support business. Last week, we published a discussion paper on RDAs, seeking comments on their objectives, role and functions. It is our intention to introduce effective RDAs by April 1999 in all regions, taking account of local views on how they will operate.
Transport planning, transport operation and the provision of transport infrastructure are just some of the activities in which RDAs might become involved. Before making any decisions, we will carefully consider the views expressed during the consultation process. The issues described by my hon. Friend are exactly those in which we would expect RDAs to take an interest. I have little doubt that he will represent his views and his constituents' concerns to the review.
My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport earlier today announced our proposals for carrying out our manifesto commitment for a strategic review of the national road programme. Again, we intend to consult widely on that review, the objective of which will be to determine the role that trunk roads should play in a sustainable transport system and to establish a forward investment programme for the trunk road network in England. It will have a wider focus than previous trunk road reviews, and will contribute to our thinking on an integrated transport strategy, the necessity for which--for supporting the economy and enabling it to develop--my hon. Friend explained in some detail.
Consultation will be launched in July, inviting responses by the end of October. We hope to announce the conclusions of the review next spring.
Both those exercises demonstrate the importance we attach to regional economic development and the close involvement of local authorities, businesses and the community in the development of their areas. The new organisations and programmes we will put in place will ensure more effective economic development strategies. By consultation and creation of regional bodies, decisions will be taken at the appropriate level.
My hon. Friend referred to some roads in particular. The A11, A12 and A47 trunk roads connect the Waveney area to the rest of the country. In recent years, £250 million has been invested in improvements to the A11 and A47, but we are aware of the importance attached to the completion of dualling the A11 from the M11 to Norwich. Three schemes now remain, including the Roudham Heath-Attleborough improvement, which has cleared all its statutory hurdles.
The previous Government made substantial reductions in the proposals for the development of both the A12 and A47. Those reductions included the withdrawal of both the strategic route dualling and local environmental bypass schemes. Again, my hon. Friend touched on both actions. The Waveney and Great Yarmouth areas are particularly concerned about the completion of dualling the A47 from Norwich to Great Yarmouth, which would complete a dual carriageway connection to the national road network via the A11.
The opportunity is now there for local interests to influence the trunk road programme in the review that we have announced. No doubt strong representations will be made, and they will be considered carefully, along with the other points that my hon. Friend so tellingly made.
The A48 from the A1 to Great Yarmouth is one of the first six roads in the country for the Highways Agency's route strategy approach. A comprehensive strategy for effective management and improvement of the whole route will be produced.
Waveney has been significantly affected by the removal of the A12 Wrentham bypass and the Kessingland-Pleasurewood schemes. The latter would have produced a completely new A12 route through Lowestoft, and included a third harbour crossing between the Mutford and bascule bridges. With the North sea on the east and Oulton broad on the west, it is not possible to take a conventional bypass around Lowestoft.
In recent years, my Department has given strong financial support to both Norfolk and Suffolk county council improvements to the A143-A146 primary route, which links the A14 at Bury St. Edmunds with Waveney and Great Yarmouth. Those improvements have been a series of bypasses of local communities, most recently Rickinghall-Botesdale, Scole-Stuston and Brockdish-Needham. The much improved road serves communities along the northern boundary of Waveney, such as Bungay and Beccles, as well as Lowestoft.
My hon. Friend described the considerable local problems of congestion within the main town of Lowestoft, and their effect on the efficiency of local businesses. Traffic movements are concentrated on the two bridges, and there are particular problems when the A12 bascule bridge is lifted to allow shipping to pass between the inner and outer harbours.
As my hon. Friend said, I have witnessed the operation. May I reassure him that it is, indeed, indelibly printed on my memory? The bridge is of critical importance to the local road network. Recent inspections have shown that it is in generally good condition, and it does, of course, receive regular maintenance, as well as replacement and refurbishment of major components.
The A12 Kessingland-Pleasurewood improvement through Lowestoft was withdrawn, because it was a very expensive urban scheme, with the third harbour crossing a particularly expensive element. The scheme would have catered mainly for local traffic. Consideration was given to taking the scheme forward as a design, build, finance and operate project, but shadow tolling would still place a considerable burden on the Department's budget. Faced with tight limits on expenditure, a third harbour crossing for Lowestoft could not be regarded as a high priority for investment in national terms.
My hon. Friend also mentioned the importance of rail to his constituents and constituency. We want to ensure that greater use is made of the railway, with more passengers and freight travelling by train. The railway system must be run in the public interest, with higher levels of investment and the effective enforcement of train operators' service commitments. The Government will use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that the public interest always comes first.
Anglia Railways, which provides train services from Lowestoft to Norwich and Ipswich, is turning in a good performance against its passenger charter targets for both punctuality and reliability. Its £200,000 "bikes on trains" project, part funded by my Department, has led the field in developing facilities for the carriage of cycles on trains. Its local trains will now carry four bicycles each, and it has earned the first ever cycle mark. It is also involved in a £1.6 million capital challenge project with other operators, Railtrack and local authorities to provide real-time passenger information at stations throughout the area.
We are also keen--as is my hon. Friend--to see more freight being carried by rail, and I know that some businesses in Lowestoft are considering rail freight. English, Welsh and Scottish Railways is taking a very positive attitude to seeking new business, and Railtrack has recently appointed freight officers in each of its zones. Grant is available for rail freight facilities, and we welcome worthwhile schemes.
We are working towards our White Paper on an integrated transport strategy. I have been impressed by the Lowestoft partnerships set up in Waveney to take forward an integrated approach to economic development and sustainable transport. Again, that was a theme highlighted by my hon. Friend tonight. Suffolk county council and Waveney district council, together with their community and business partners, have produced successful bids for transport package, capital challenge, single regeneration budget and European funding.
The main thrust of transport policy in Waveney is very much in accordance with Government policies. Investment is proposed to assist economic regeneration; encourage visitors and tourists; manage demand and promote alternative modes of transport; improve public transport services and facilities; provide safe links for pedestrians, the mobility-impaired and cyclists; enable physical improvement and improve social conditions; and reduce pollution.
The Lowestoft transport package was accepted in December l996, with an initial allocation of £150,000 for 1997-98. Subject to satisfactory progress, further funding should be made available in future years. In the recent capital challenge round, £2.9 million has been allocated for completion of the Lowestoft northern spine road, which has also attracted substantial private sector investment and starts construction later this year. That scheme improves access to the A12 and A47 to the north for industrial traffic, and provides substantial environmental benefits to the town centre and adjacent residential areas.
I am happy to report that a high level of cycling has been maintained in Lowestoft, with investment by local authorities, the private sector and developers. Capital challenge funding has provided an additional £250,000 towards strategic cycle routes in Lowestoft, north of Lake Lothing. Those are considerable investments of local transport funds.
As well as those transport investments, single regeneration budget and European objective 5b programmes are approved for regeneration of the Kirkley area and business support and expansion.
The local approach of combining economic development and sustainable transport is, as I have said, very much in accordance with the Government's policies. The councils are forging ever more effective partnerships with local businesses, the community and transport interests. The support of the chamber of commerce and industry and the Lowestoft 2000 economic regeneration partnership for recent bids has been significant. Quality partnerships are proposed with the local bus operators.
The Highways Agency and the Government office for eastern region have agreed to join the steering group of the Lowestoft partnership's south Lowestoft study of
traffic problems and environmental and regeneration issues. The Highways Agency is responsible for the A12 through Waveney, and will work closely with the local authorities. The study will consider among other things the pros and cons of a south Lowestoft relief road on the line of the previous trunk road scheme.
Proposals for major road schemes followed by withdrawal create particular problems for development and regeneration in urban areas. The desirability of major urban road construction, such as the previously proposed A12 Kessingland-Pleasurewood improvement, has to be questioned, as we cannot cater for ever increasing use of the car in our towns. I was pleased by my hon. Friend's underlining of the concerns for the environment in his area.
That questioning must be accepted, and appropriate transport and development plans have to be produced. Waveney seems to be well on the way to doing that. Any proposals for major road construction would need to be well justified and supported.
I look forward to future package bids and to assessments of how effectively the investment in Waveney is delivering sustainable results. The Highways Agency and the Government office for eastern region will continue their involvement, in particular considering the way in which the management of the A12 trunk road fits into the general Lowestoft transport strategy.
On a national scale, in considering both the regional development agencies and the review of the trunk road programme, we will, of course, take careful note of any representations from Waveney and similarly placed authorities in Norfolk and Suffolk. I look forward to many conversations with my hon. Friend.
Question put and agreed to.
19 Jun 1997 : Column 521Adjourned accordingly at nine minutes to Eight o'clock.
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