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PRESS NOTICE:  357                           26 November 1996


 GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO 6BN POUNDS TRUNK ROADS PROGRAMME


Sir George Young, the Secretary of State for Transport,
referring to the Public Expenditure Settlement announced by
the Chancellor in his Budget Statement, said today:

     "In an extremely tough spending round, my settlement
     represents a good outcome for the trunk road programme.
     
     "I have been able to sustain the main programme at around
     #6bn, the same as last year.  The Government's policy is
     to make steady progress in implementing a roads 
     programme the size of the current main programme. This is
     likely to mean an average of three to four significant
     new starts per year.
     
     "I have also taken a pragmatic view of the longer-term
     programme.  Rather than continuing to maintain schemes
     which have little chance of coming to fruition within a
     reasonable timescale, I have decided to remove
     uncertainty and the damaging effect of blight on
     individuals and neighbourhoods by withdrawing most of
     these schemes.  This is a sensible and realistic course
     in terms of affordability, and I am convinced it is what
     the public wants. Where schemes have been withdrawn, we
     will consider the scope for developing route strategies
     over time to identify smaller scale improvements - to
     tackle safety and localised congestion problems. It is
     also consistent with the strategy I set out in my Green
     Paper, Transport - the Way Forward, last April, in which
     I emphasised that by making the best use of our existing
     transport infrastructure, we can stimulate business
     competitiveness, a healthy environment and freedom of
     choice.
     
          "To ensure a programme of a realistic size, I have also
     had to withdraw a small number of schemes from the
     current main programme.  These were selected after a
     careful consideration of the schemes' economics, the
     environmental data, the importance of the routes on which
     they are situated, and their significance for
     regeneration.
     
     "Some of the withdrawn longer-term schemes are motorway
     widenings: the withdrawal of those schemes has allowed me
     to establish a new #200m fund for more modest
     improvements to deal with particular hot spots on the
     motorway network, just as we earlier established the
     Network Enhancement Programme to fund small but high-benefit
     schemes on the rest of the network.
     
     "The settlement enables me to maintain the Department of
     Transport's progress with the Private Finance Initiative. 
     DBFO Tranche 2, announced last year, will go ahead
     subject to the completion of statutory procedures, and in
     addition, I intend to take forward two important schemes
     on the A40 in west London by the DBFO route.  The
     Highways Agency will continue to pursue opportunities for
     privately financing further schemes in the programme as
     they come forward.
     
     "The three year settlement also provides sufficient
     funding for maintenance to safeguard the nation's road
     infrastructure for the future."
     
NOTES TO EDITORS

 1. The tables show the details of the revised trunk road
 programme.  Table 1 shows the 114 schemes in the revised
 programme.  Table 2 shows the 33 additional schemes that are
 currently planned to be taken forward as DBFO schemes. 
 Table 3 shows the 110 schemes that are withdrawn.
 a) 
 2. The value of the revised programme is #6.0bn, which
 includes VAT but excludes the cost of acquiring land and
 property and preparation and supervision; this sum includes
 a #200m provision for improvements to the motorway network. 
 This is the same as the cost of the 1995 main programme, on
 the same basis and price levels.   
 
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Public Enquiries:  0171 271 4800

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TABLE 1

1996 TRUNK ROAD PROGRAMME

Birmingham Northern Relief Road
M1 J31-32 Widening 
M1 J25-28 Junction Imps
M1 J23A-25 Widening (Inc A6-M1 Link) 
M1 J21A-23A Widening  
M1 J10-14 Widening 
M1 J6A-10 Widening 
M4 J3-4B Widening 
M4 J4B-8/9 Widening 
M4 Maidenhead, Windsor & Eton Flood Alleviation System
Underbridge
M5 J17-21 Widening 
M6 J16-19 Widening 
M6 J11-16 Widening 
M11 J5 North Facing Slip Road Imp  
M11 J8-9 Widening 
M11 J14 Imp 
M23 J8-9 Widening 
M25 J12-15 Widening 
M25 Heathrow Terminal 5 Spur
M25 J15-16 Widening 
M25 J16-19 Widening 
M42 J3A-7 Widening 
M60 Manchester Outer Ring Road Re-signing Project
M62 East - M606 Link Road 
M62 J12-18 Widening 
M62 J8 & J8-9 Widening
M62 J6 Imp 
M63 J6-9 Widening 
M66 Denton - Middleton Contract 3
A1(M) Wetherby - Walshford 
A1(M) Ferrybridge - Hook Moor 
A1(M) Redhouse - Ferrybridge 
A1(M) J6-8 Widening
A2/M2 Cobham - J4 Widening 
A6(M) Stockport North/South Bypass 
A556(M) M6 - M56 Imp 
A1 Willowburn - Denwick
A1 Gateshead Western Bypass Imp 
A1 Tempsford GSJ 
A2/A282 Dartford Imp
A2 Bean - Cobham Phase 1 Bean - Tolgate
A2 Bean - Cobham Phase 2 Tolgate - Cobham
A2 Lydden - Dover Imp
A3 Hindhead Imp
A4 Henlys/Waggoners Corner Imp
A5 Dunstable Eastern Bypass
A6 Bedford Western Bypass A428 - A421 Link
A11 Attleborough Bypass
A11 Roudham Heath - Attleborough
A11 Fiveways - Thetford Imp
A12 Hackney Wick - M11 Link Contract 1
A12 Hackney Wick - M11 Link Contract 3
A13 M25 - Lakeside Widening
A14 Thrapston - Brampton Grade Separation
A14 Improvement (M11 J14 - M1/A1 Link)
A14 Rookery Crossroads GSJ
A16 Market Deeping/Deeping St James Bypass
A19 Wolviston Second Samsung Access
A23 Coulsdon Inner Relief Road 
A27 Wilmington Bypass
A27 Selmeston Bypass
A27 Southerham - Beddington Imp
A27 Arundel Bypass 
A30/A303 Marsh Honiton & A35 Honiton Eastern Bypass
A30 Bodmin - Indian Queens Imp
A34 Chieveley/M4 (J13) Imp
A38 Derby Ring Road A52/A5111 GSJ
A38 Derby Ring Road A61 GSJ
A38 Saltash - Stoketon Cross Imp 
A38 Dobwalls Bypass
A41 Aston Clinton Bypass
A43 Geddington Bypass 
A43 Moulton - Broughton Imp
A43/A16 Stamford Relief Road 
A45 Weedon, Flore & Upper Heyford Bypass 
A45/A46 Tollbar End Imp 
A46 Newark - Lincoln Imp
A46 Newark - Widmerpool Imp 
A47 Hardwick Roundabout Flyover
A47 Thorney Bypass 
A49 Hereford Bypass 
A57/A682 Mottram - Tintwistle Bypass 
A63 Castle Street Hull Imp
A63 Melton GSJ 
A63 Selby Bypass 
A66 Temple Sowerby & Imp at Winderwath
A66 Stainburn & Great Clifton Bypass 
A120 Stansted - Braintree 
A120 M11 - Stansted Slip Roads 
A205 Catford Town Centre Imp 
A249 Iwade - Queenborough Imp
A303 Winterbourne Stoke Bypass
A303 Ilminster - Marsh Imp 
A406 Bounds Green - Green Lanes Imp
A406/A1/A598 Regents Park Road Junction Imp
A406 Golders Green Road Junction Imp 
A428 Great Barford Bypass
A428 Caxton Common - Hardwick
A453 Clifton Lane Imp
A453 Clifton - M1 Imp
A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass
A500 City Road & Stoke Road Junctions Imp
A550 Deeside Park - A5117 Imp
A555/A523 Poynton Bypass
A555 Manchester Airport Link West 
A564 Derby Southern Bypass (Contract B)
A564 Derby Southern Bypass (Contract C): Derby Spur
A570 Ormskirk Bypass
A595 Parton - Lillyhall Imp
A1033 Hedon Road Imp
A5117 M56 - A550 Imp 
A31 - Poole Link Road
Poole Harbour Crossing
London Primary Route Signing Project

The above list includes schemes which will be in receipt of
developer contributions (S.278).


TABLE 2

DESIGN, BUILD, FINANCE AND OPERATE PROJECTS (DBFOs)


DBFO project title        Scope of project       New construction schemes included

M6 Cumbria - Bradford     To upgrade and         A590 High and Low Newton Bypass
                          operate a section      A65 Hellifield & Long Preston Bypass
                          of the A590/A65/       A65 Gargrave Bypass
                          A629/A650 trunk        A629 Skipton - Kildwick Imp
                          roads between Newby    A650 Hard Ings Road Imp
                          Bridge and Bradford    A650 Bingley Relief Road

M6 extension Carlisle -   To extend and operate  M6 Carlisle - Guardsmill Extension
Scottish border           a section of the M6
                          between Carlisle and 
                          Guardsmill             

South Midlands            To upgrade and         A6 Clapham Bypass
Network                   operate a network      A6 Rushden & Higham Ferrers Bypass
                          of sections of A6,     A6 Rothwell - Desborough Bypass
                          A43, A47 and A428      A6 Great Glen Bypass
                          trunk roads in the     A43 M40 - B4031 Imp
                          area between Luton,    A43 Whitfield Turn - Brackley Hatch Imp
                          Banbury, Leicester     A43 Silverston Bypass
                          and the A1 trunk road  A428 Norse Road Link

A13 East London - M25     To upgrade and         A13 Ironbridge - Canning Town Imp
                          operate the A13 trunk  A13 Movers Lane Junction Imp
                          road corridor in East  A13/A117 Junction Imp
                          London                 A13/A112 Prince Regent Lane Junction Imp
                 
Wessex Link               To upgrade and         A36 Salisbury Bypass
                          operate sections of    A303 Wylye - Stockton Wood Imp
                          A30, A36, A46 and      A303 Sparkford - Ilchester
                          A303 trunk roads       A303 Ilminster Bypass Imp
                                                 A36 Codford - Heytesbury Imp
                                                 A303 Chicklade Bottom - Mere Imp

Weald and Downland        To upgrade and         A21 Tonbridge Bypass - Pembury Bypass
                          operate sections of    Dualling
                          A21, A26, A27 and      A21 Lamberhurst Bypass
                          A259 trunk roads       A27 Polegate Bypass
                                                 A259 Pevensey - Bexhill Imp
                                                 A259 Bexhill & Hastings Western Bypass
                                                 A259 Hastings Eastern Bypass

A40                      To improve and          A40 Gypsy Corner Imp
                         operate a section of    A40 Western Circus Junction Imp
                         the A40 in London



Progress on a number of the above new construction schemes is
dependent on the completion of the statutory procedures.           


TABLE 3

LONGER TERM SCHEMES TO BE WITHDRAWN

M1 J28-31 Widening
M1 J25-28 Imp (Phase 2 Widening)
M1 J21A-23A Widening (Phase 2)
M1 J21-21A Widening (Phase 2)
M1 J19-21 Widening
M1 J14-19 Widening
M3 J2-3 Widening
M3 J3-4 Widening
M4 J8/9-10 Widening
M4 J10-12 Widening
M4 J12-15 Widening
M4 J18-20 & M5 J15-17 Widening
M5 J1 & 2 Imp *
M5 J29-30 Imp
M6 J19-20 Widening
M6 J9 & 10 Imp *
M6 J2-4 Widening
M6 M1-J2 Widening
M11 J9-14 Widening
M20 J3-5 Widening
M23 J9-10 Widening
M25 J3-5 Widening
M25 J5-7 Widening
M25 J19-23 Widening
M25 J23-26 Widening
M25 J26-28 Widening
M25 J30-31 Imp
M27 J4-11 Widening
M27 J11-12 Widening
M40 J3-4 Widening & J4 Imp
M42 J1-3A Widening
M62 J21-24 Widening
M62 J18-21 Widening
M62 J6-7 Widening
M4 - A4 Link
Birmingham Western Orbital Route
A1(M) Leeming - Scotch Corner
A1(M) Dishforth - Leeming
A1(M) Wetherby Bypass *
A1(M) Bramham - Wetherby *
A1(M) Tuxford - Blyth
A1(M) Newark - Tuxford
A1(M) Stamford - Newark
A1(M) Stamford Bypass
A1(M) Peterborough - Stamford
A1(M) Baldock - Alconbury
A1(M) J9-10 Widening
A1(M) J4-6 Widening
A1(M) J1-4 Widening
A1 Morpeth - Lanehead *
A1 Five Lanes End GSJ *
A1 Blyth GSJ *
A1 Markham Moor GSJ *
A5 Weeford - Fazeley Imp
A5 Nesscliffe Bypass
A6 Kibworth Bypass
A6 Bedford Western Bypass A6 - A428 Link
A6 Disley & High Lane Bypass
A10 Wadesmill High Cross-Colliers End Bypass
A12 Yoxford Bypass
A12 Wrentham Bypass
A12 Wickham Market - Saxmundham Imp
A12 Martlesham - Wickham Market Imp
A12 Hatfield Peverel - Marks Tey
A12 M25 J28 - Chelmsford Imp
A14 Quarries Cross GSJ *
A14 M11 - A10 Widening *
A21 Kippings Cross - Lamberhurst Imp
A23 Handcross - Warninglid Imp
A27 Worthing - Lancing Imp *
A30 Temple - Higher Carblake Imp
A30 Zelah - Chiverton Imp
A30 St Erth - Newtown Imp
A35 Chideock - Morecombelake Bypass
A36 Beckington - East of Bath
A36 Wylye - Codford Imp
A38 Stoketon Cross - Trerulefoot
A38 Dobwalls - Bodmin Imp
A46 Alcester - Stratford Imp
A47 Acle Straight Dualling
A47 Blofield - Acle Dualling
A47 North Tuddenham - Easton 
A47 Little Fransham Bypass
A47 Middleton & East Winch Bypass
A47 Tilney - Kings Lynn Imp & A47/A17 GSJ
A47 Wisbech Bypass A1101 Junction Imp
A49/A51 Calveley - Tiverton Bypass
A51 Littleton Bypass
A52 Saxondale - Grantham (A1) Imp
A52 Radcliffe-on-Trent Bypass
A65 Coniston Cold Bypass
A69 Warwick Bridge Bypass
A102 Blackwall 3rd Crossing +
A120 Braintree - Marks Tey Imp
A259 Dymchurch - M20 J11 Imp
A259 St Mary's Bay & Dymchurch Imp
A259 New Romney Bypass
A259 Rye Bypass
A259 Winchelsea Bypass
A259 Guestling Thorn & Icklesham Bypass
A303 Amesbury - Berwick Down (Stonehenge section) *
A380 Kingskerswell Bypass
A406 East London River Crossing +
A419 Blunsdon Bypass
A435 Studley Bypass
A449/A456 Kidderminster, Blakedown & Hagley Bypass
A523 Poynton - Macclesfield Imp
A590 Ulverston -Dalton Bypass
A650 Shipley Eastern Bypass
A5225 Wigan - Westhoughton Bypass

* Scheme formerly in the main programme

+ Withdrawn as a public sector scheme; replaced by potential
private sector PFI project.


# = Pounds sterling

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