Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Bob Blizzard (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 21 March 2006 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Trunk Roads (East Anglia)

Question: Is my hon. Friend aware of the Highways Agency's proposals for repairing the lift-up bridge on the A12 trunk road in the middle of Lowestoft? It envisages closing the bridge down for whole weekends, which will bring the town to a standstill. It simply would not be able to function if that were to happen. The cost to the town would be enormous in terms of lost hours, lost production and lost business. Will he look into that matter and agree to meet me before any final decision is made on what kind of contract will be offered?

Answer: Of course I will meet my hon. Friend to discuss that. The Highways Agency will consult thoroughly to find the best way forward. Obviously, if repairs are needed, we have to find some way of dealing with the problem without disrupting traffic for his constituents and others in the town. We will do our best to do that and I will make sure that he and I meet to discuss it.

Secondary information