---

8 Oct 2007 : Column 95W—continued

Roads: Flood Control

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which stretches of motorways were closed in June and July 2007 because of floods. [153842]

Mr. Tom Harris: The stretches of motorways closed due to floods during June and July 2007 are given in table 1 as follows.

8 Oct 2007 : Column 96W

Table 1: Motorway closures due to flooding June and July 2007
Closures	Date in June/July
Motorway and junction(s)
A1(M) J35	26 June 2007
M1 J36 to 35a	26 June 2007 to 28 June 2007
M1 J36 - M1 J32 exit slip-roads	26 June 2007
M1 J35 entry slip-road	15 June 2007
M1 J35	26 June 2007 to 28 June 2007
M1 J34 exit slip-road	15 June 2007
M1 J34 exit slip-road	25 June 2007
M1 J34 southbound	26 June 2007 to 27 June 2007
M1 J33 slip-roads	26 June 2007 to 27 June 2007
Ml J32 northbound	26 June 2007 to 28 June 2007
M1 J32 (northbound slip-roads J33-34)	26 June 2007 to 28 June 2007
M1 J32-J34	26 June 2007
M4 westbound, J1 to J2 (elevated section)	14 June 2007
M4 eastbound J3 entry-slip	15 June 2007
Hard shoulder and lane 1 closure
M25 clockwise, J7-J8 lane 4 closure	20 July 2007
M25 clockwise, J8-J9 total closure	20 July 2007
M5 J14 entry slip northbound	20 July 2007
M5 J13 entry slip northbound	20 July 2007
M5 J12 entry slip northbound	20 July 2007
M5 J11 entry slip northbound	20 July 2007
M5 J11a northbound travelling to A417 eastbound slip road closed	20 July 2007
M5 between Junctions 11a and 12 southbound lane 1 closure	20 July 2007
M5 J10 entry slip northbound	20 July 2007
M5 J9 full closure in both directions	20 July 2007
M5 J4a southbound closed including J5, J6, J7 and J8 entry slips	20 July 2007 to 21 July 2007
M18-M1 J32 slips	26 June 2007
M18 J1 slip-roads	26 June 2007
M40 DBFO Warwick Services north and southbound entry slip	14 June 2007
M40 DBFO Warwick Services northbound entry slip	20 July 2007
M54 J6 westbound on slip	25 June 2007 to 26 June 2007
M50 westbound exit slip J1—closed due to flooding on A38	20 July 2007 to 21 July 2007
M50 (M5 J8-J4) closed in both directions	20 July 2007 to 21 July 2007

Mr. Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which (a) motorways and (b) trunk roads the Highways Agency used (i) water containment and (ii) pumps to respond to floods since the beginning of June 2007. [153841]

Mr. Tom Harris: The stretches of motorways and trunk roads on which the Highways Agency used water containment and/or pumps since the beginning of June 2007 is given in Tables 1 and 2 as follows. Several instances arose where flood warning signs were erected and gully clearance was necessary; these have not been included in the tables.

8 Oct 2007 : Column 97W

Table 1: Motorways where containment/pumps were used due to floods from June 2007 to-date
Motorway	Water containment (e.g. sandbags, barriers, etc.) Yes: comment/no	Pumps used. Yes: comment/no
A1(M) J8 northbound exit slip	Emergency lane 1 closure installed and emergency flood warning boards erected.	Stationary Pumps
A1(M) J8 northbound exit slip	Flood warning boards erected	Stationary Pumps
M1 J22 to 23 northbound	Flooding on the hard shoulder after heavy rain. Trenches dug in the verge to assist in drainage. Water receded.	No
M1 J19 southbound bottom of exit slip	No	Flooding on slip road from heavy rain—water cleared with pump
M1 Junction 38 northbound	No	Pumps used to protect farm property and livestock as river burst its banks
M3 J4	Sandbags for private property surface water not from the highway	No
M6 J13 and 14 northbound	Flooding on hard shoulder from heavy rainfall. Trench dug at rear of gulley and water receded. Road then swept dry.	No
M6 J14 to 15 northbound	Flooding on hard shoulder from heavy rain. Trenches dug in verge and water drained away.	No
M62 J26 eastbound	Sandbags used	No

8 Oct 2007 : Column 98W

Table 2: Trunk Roads where containment/pumps were used due to floods from June 2007 to-date
Trunk road	Water containment (e.g. sandbags, barriers, etc.)	Pumps used. yes/no
A1 Catterick	No	2 vactor units (which is a lorry with a watertank and pump) to keep the gullies clear.
DBFO A1 Darrington to Dishforth Wetherby	No	Pump used for loading water tanker for discharge off site and redirecting water into adjacent drainage system
A1 Nottinghamshire, Worksop and Retford	Sandbags at a number of locations to restrict flow of surface water off adjoining fields.	No
A3 Send	Flood boards	No
A5 westbound at Churchbridge nr. Cannock	No	Sheer volume of rainfall on the carriageway caused flooding of foul drainage lifting cover, allowing sewage onto carriageway—specialist contractor clearance using pumps to transfer waste to tank.
A5 Towcester	Sandbags used	No
A5 southbound, Duncote	Sandbags used	No
A5 north and southbound, Sheep Lane	No	Fire brigade supported with pumps.
A14 Bury St. Edmunds	No	Water pumped away into tanker
A27 Chichester	No	Pumps were used to remove water from the carriageway on three separate occasions
A34 Chievely	No	Pump was used to filter water out the Chievely Depot (which was flooded by pond) onto HA land at M4/A34 Chievely junction 13
A45/A46 Tollbar Island north and southbound Coventry	No	Pumped water to tanker
A46 Nottinghamshire, Bingham	No	Pumps used to remove surface water from carriageway at two locations
A50 Junction 24A Lockington Island nr. Derby	No	Flooding on one side of the island. Gulley jetted and water pumped to tanker
A50 east and westbound at Meir Tunnel—nr. Stoke on Trent	No	Tunnel closed due to heavy rainfall flooding tunnel. Gullies and interceptors jetted and water pumped to specialist tanker
A50 eastbound and westbound Meir tunnel nr. Stoke on Trent	No	Tunnel closure due to flooding from heavy rainfall. Catchpits pumped to tanker
A65 Coniston Cold	Flood boards erected on two separate occasions	No
A65 Settle	Flood boards	No
A66 Temple Sowerby	Flood boards erected on two separate occasions	No
A66 Crackenthorpe	Flood boards erected	No
A259 Rye	No	Pumps were used to remove water from the carriageway
A259 Bexhill	Flood boards and coned area temporarily	Pumps were used to remove water from the carriageway
A259 (underpass)(1) Bexhill	No	Pumps were used to remove water from the underpass
A428 east and westbound Cambourne Duals	No	Pumps were used to remove water
A590 Lindal-in-Furness	Flood boards erected	No
A616 at Midhopestones	No	Pumps used to pump standing water from highway over a wall into underbank reservoir
A616 at Midhopestones	50 sandbags used	Pumps used to pump standing water from highway over a wall into underbank reservoir
(1 )The A259 underpass was affected on thirteen separate occasions. The Highways Agency are aware of the flooding issues there and are currently designing a scheme that will solve the problem this financial year.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many programmed road surface repairs there are. [156419]

Ms Rosie Winterton: This information is not held centrally for local roads. Highway maintenance on local roads in England is the responsibility of each
8 Oct 2007 : Column 99W
local highways authority. All local highway authorities have been encouraged to produce asset management plans for their roads. These will consist of inventories of stock, its existing condition, and target condition based upon desired service levels. This information will assist local highway authorities to programme their road surface repairs.

The Department has also endorsed “Well maintained highways”, the code of practice for highway maintenance produced by the UK Roads Board. The document which can be found at www.ukroadsliaisongroup.org provides best practice guidance on the programming of highway maintenance.

The Highways Agency are responsible for highway maintenance on the strategic road network in England. Their programme is sub-divided into significant renewal schemes and small works. Both types of programme may fluctuate, depending on the overall state of network assets and in-year urgency for tackling unexpected deterioration. The condition target for the strategic road network is measured by a road surface condition index. This target has been met since it was introduced in 2004-05.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the likelihood of achieving the 2010 target for eliminating the road maintenance backlog. [156421]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The National Road Maintenance Condition Survey for 2005 showed that the 10 Year Plan interim target to halt carriageway deterioration by 2004 had been achieved. We have encouraged local authorities to produce asset management plans for local roads. As more of these become available we expect to gain a better understanding of the investment required to bring local road conditions up to the appropriate operational standards.

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of local authorities’ budgets for road maintenance are required to be allocated to road preservation. [156422]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport provides local authorities in England (outside London) with funding support for capital highway maintenance funding for investment in their network, including its structures and street lighting. Revenue funding provided through the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) may also be used for highway maintenance. Neither funding is ring fenced. It is for each local authority to determine how their allocations are spent, in line with their priorities. Funding in London is a matter for the mayor.

---