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M6

Answer

In the summer and autumn of 2004 the Department undertook a consultation, ‘M6: Giving motorists a choice', on the concept of building a new tolled expressway to run parallel with the M6, as an alternative to widening the existing M6 between Birmingham and Manchester (junction 11A to junction 19).The consultation sought views on whether the Government should ask the Highways Agency to carry out more detailed development work and a feasibility study on the option of an expressway. Approximately 9,500 responses were received from a range of stakeholders. The responses were carefully analysed and a breakdown was placed in the Library of the House on 19 July 2005, when I announced the outcome of the initial consultation and the Secretary of State's decision to ask the Highways Agency to undertake further work in parallel on both the expressway and widening options.As part of the option evaluation work currently in progress, the Highways Agency has been engaging with a wide range of representative stakeholder bodies, including the statutory environmental agencies. The Agency has organised eight meetings with stakeholders since the beginning of the year, including three well attended seminars, and two further meetings are currently planned for April. The discussions and written feedback will form part of the data to be used to inform a ministerial decision on the option to be taken forward. Formal public consultation would form part of the next stage of scheme development.In addition to comments made during discussions, a total of 141 representations in the form of feedback sheets, letters and e-mails have been received from stakeholders to date.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

61290; 445 c55W;445 c55W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Construction M6

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk