---

29 Oct 1999 : Column: 995

Written Answers to Questions

Friday 29 October 1999

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

A1 Western Bypass

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date the Highways Agency agreed to postpone the widening of the A1 Western Bypass between North Gosforth and Ponteland Road interchanges consequent upon the development of the Northern Development Area, Newcastle; who were the parties to this agreement; and what size of development will be permitted prior to widening. [95862]

Mr. Hill: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 29 October 1999:

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question. You asked "on what date the Highways Agency agreed to postpone the widening of the A1 Western Bypass between North Gosforth and Ponteland Road interchanges consequent upon the development of the Northern Development Area; who were the parties to this agreement; and what size of development will now be permitted prior to widening".

The only widening of the A1 between North Gosforth and Ponteland Road that the Highways Agency has considered is as a consequence of the development proposals for the Northern Development Area. If the development had been granted planning permission, the timing of the widening would have depended on the implementation of the development. No decision has been made on this; it would have been the subject of discussion and agreement with the developer had planning permission been granted.

The application for the Northern Development Area was withdrawn on 3 September 1999. A new application was submitted on the same day for Newcastle Great Park that proposes similar improvements to the A1 Trunk Road.

29 Oct 1999 : Column: 996

A new traffic impact assessment has been produced and is currently with the Agency for consideration. As part of those considerations, the size of the development that will be permitted prior to widening will be discussed.

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the traffic flows along the A1 Western Bypass of Newcastle and Gateshead at (a) the Metrocentre interchange, (b) the Tyne River crossing, (c) the Ponteland Road interchange and (d) the North Gosforth interchange in (i) 1995, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998 and (iv) 1999; and what flows are projected for (1) 2002, (2) 2005 and (3) 2010 (x) with and (y) without, the development of the Northern Development Area, Newcastle. [95876]

Mr. Hill: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 29 October 1999:

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question. You asked for the traffic flows along the A1 Western Bypass of Newcastle and Gateshead from the Metro Centre to North Gosforth, including the Tyne Crossing.

The attached table, Annex A, sets out the information you requested at the locations where we have traffic counters for the years 1995, 1997, 1998 and 1999 together with projected flows for the years 2002, 2005 and 2010 without the development of Northern Development Area, Newcastle.

A copy of the traffic flows with and without the development for Northern Development Area at assessment year 2013 at Annex B has been placed in the library. In considering planning applications, developers are only required to assess traffic flows for 15 years after the development is brought into use (the assessment year). We do not therefore have the figures for intermediate years. You will note that these are peak hour flows as these are the flows we have used in making our assessment.

As you may be aware, the application for Northern Development Area was withdrawn on 3 September 1999 and a new application submitted on the same day for Newcastle Great Park that proposes similar improvements to the A1 Trunk Road.

A new traffic impact assessment has been produced and is currently with the Highways Agency for consideration. We have asked for more traffic-forecast information from the developer with a revised date of opening of 2000 with the assessment year of 2015. Our initial impression is that the traffic impact will be different from the Northern Development Area application, but until we have this further information and have studied it, we cannot be sure. I am sorry therefore that we do not yet have the information that you have requested in relation to the Newcastle Great Park development.

29 Oct 1999 : Column: 995

Traffic data for the A1 around Newcastle

					Projected figures
Road	Location	AADT 1995	AADT 1997 (%)	AADT 1998 (%)	AADT 1999	AADT 2002	AADT 2005	AADT 2010
A1	Bowes PH, W of A1M Bifurcation	89,600	93,000(9)	93,600(10)	95,200	100,100	105,100	113,200
A1	North of Smithy Lane Overbridge	80,100	83,800(-)	84,600(9)	86,100	90,400	95,000	102,300
A1	Northwest of Lady Park	79,700	82,100(10)	82,600(9)	84,000	88,300	92,800	99,900
A1	Northwest of Lobley Hill I/C	97,700	101,500(9)	103,400(10)	105,200	110,500	116,100	125,000
A1	Northwest of Consett Route I/C	92,400	94,500(9)	94,600	96,200	101,100	106,200	114,400
A1	Metro Centre, East of I/C	79,800	80,800(10)	81,200	82,600	86,800	91,200	98,200
A1	North of Blaydon Bridge	75,600	81,700(9)	83,000(9)	84,400	88,700	93,200	100,300
A1	North of A69 Interchange	72,900	79,200(8)	81,000(8)	82,400	86,600	91,000	97,900
A1	South of Ponteland Road Interchange	68,100	73,400(9)	76,000	77,300	81,300	85,300	91,900
A1	South of Brunton Lane Overbridge	52,800	57,000(8)	59,100(8)	60,100	63,200	66,400	71,500
A1	North of Ponteland Road Interchange	57,800	61,200(-)	63,300(6)	64,400	67,700	71,100	76,500
A1	South of A19 Interchange, Hazelrigg	41,900	40,500(8)	47,700	48,500	51,000	53,600	57,700
A1	North of Seaton Burn Interchange	26,900	28,400(6)	27,800(10)	28,300	29,700	31,200	33,600
A1	North of A197, Morpeth	17,000	18,600(11)	18,800(15)	19,100	20,100	21,100	22,700

Key:

AADT--Annual Average Daily Traffic

Source of Percentage Increases:

The COBA Manual Table 10/1 September 1996--LGNRTF

29 Oct 1999 : Column: 997

29 Oct 1999 : Column: 997

Schoolchildren (Transport)

Miss Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to encourage the use of public transport by children travelling to and from school. [95766]

Mr. Hill: In December 1998 we established the School Travel Advisory Group (STAG) to promote best practice and develop a more coherent approach to school travel issues.

STAG oversees a programme of research which includes a project, due for completion in Summer 2000, to identify good practice in increasing bus use for journeys to and from school. This will lead to the publication of a guide for local authorities and operators.

STAG has also overseen the preparation of two guides published in June, one for local authorities and one for parents, teachers and school governors, which include guidance on increasing the use of public transport by children travelling to and from school. Both guides also include guidance on increasing levels of walking and cycling.

I have arranged for a copy of both guides to be placed in the Library.

Regional Planning

Mr. Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has given the panels inspecting draft regional planning guidance reports about consulting local authorities in the relevant areas. [96108]

Ms Beverley Hughes: Draft Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) is prepared by regional planning bodies made up of the local authorities in the region, working with other stakeholders. A Panel, appointed by the Secretary of State, then holds a Public Examination into the draft guidance. Draft Planning Policy Guidance note 11: Regional Planning advises the Panel to consult local planning authorities, through the regional planning body, in drawing up the list of participants and matters selected for examination by the Panel. The Guidance also advises that the regional planning body should be represented at the public examination. Individual local authorities may also participate at the examination (as they have done at the recent examinations into draft RPG for East Anglia and the South East). Once he has considered the Panel report, the Secretary of State will publish draft changes to the regional guidance for a further short public consultation.

29 Oct 1999 : Column: 998

National Speed Policy Review

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends (a) to publish the findings of the National Speed Policy Review and (b) to begin wider public consultation on national speed policy; what representations he has already had with regard to the national speed policy; and if he will make a statement. [96037]

Mr. Hill: The Review of Speed Policy is nearing completion and the conclusions and recommendations will be published shortly. Recommendations requiring changes to legislation will be developed into proposals, and consultation on these will take place. A large number of representations covering wide ranging interests and views has been made about the review, including more than 100 replies in response to the discussion document which was circulated by my Department during the summer.

---