Written question asked by Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 18 May 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 22 May 2007. It was answered by Stephen Ladyman (Labour) on Monday, 11 June 2007 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cost increases he approved for road schemes in the Highways Agency targeted programme of improvements in each year since 1998.

Answer: Details of Highways Agency major road schemes that have had cost increases approved between 2000 and July 2006 are available in Appendix Two of the National Audit Office report—Department for Transport: Estimating and Monitoring the Costs of Building Roads in England—published on 15 March 2007. A copy of the report can be downloaded from the following website link:"http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/0607321.pdf"Since July 2006, we have also approved cost increases on the following major road schemes:"A2 Bean—Cobham widening Phase 2""A2/A282 Dartford improvement""M25 J1b-3""A14 Haughley New Street to Stowmarket improvement""A3 Hindhead improvement""A38 Dobwall bypass""A595 Parton to Lillyhall improvement""A46 Newark to Widmerpool""A1 Dishforth to Barton""A1 Bramham to Wetherby (including Wetherby bypass)""A66 Long Newton GSJ""A69 Haydon Bridge bypass""A14 Ellington to Fen Ditton""A57/A628 Mottram—Hollingworth—Tintwhistle""M1 J10-13""A5—M1 Link (Dunstable Northern bypass)""A27 Southerham to Beddingham improvement""M25 J28/A12 Brook Street interchange."

Secondary information