Written question asked by David Wright (Labour) on Thursday, 12 January 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 January 2012. It was answered by Mike Penning (Conservative) on Monday, 16 January 2012 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

M6

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions her Department has had with the M6 Toll Company on providing a direct link from the M54 to the toll road and the M6 northbound at no cost to the public purse.

Answer: The statement of the then Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 26 October 2010, Official Report, columns 177-179, ““Investment in Highways and Local Transport Schemes”” identified the M54/M6/M6 Toll Link road scheme as a 'future scheme' for potential construction in future spending review periods and as one of four schemes to be reviewed by the Highways Agency.In conducting the review the Agency has looked again at the scheme options currently under consideration to ensure these remain the most appropriate. The business case for the scheme has also been revisited to ensure that it is as up to date as possible.As part of the review a meeting was held between Department for Transport Officials and a representative of Midland Expressway Limited, the M6 Toll company, to discuss the scheme options for an M54/M6/M6 Toll Link Road and how these might be taken forward under an agreement made in 2006 between Macquarie European Infrastructure Limited and the Secretary of State for Transport.Informed by the review, the Department for Transport is currently considering the allocation of development funding for the 'future schemes'. This would see investment in a small number of schemes to progress pre-construction work and thereby maintain a pipeline of major investment in the strategic road network. Any announcements will be made in due course.

Secondary information