---

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions;Highways Agency

Answer

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the review by Oscar Faber of predicted traffic flows after the opening of the Birmingham northern relief road on the M6 and other roads. [160127] Mr. Hill: My hon. Friend's question relates to an operational matter. I have accordingly asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to him. Letter from Tim Matthews to Tony Wright, dated 8 May 2001: The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Keith Hill, has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking if the review by Oscar Faber of predicted traffic flows after the opening of the Birmingham Northern Relief Road on the M6 and other roads will be published. First of all I should make it clear that, under an agreement with the Secretary of State for Transport, certain responsibilities for the Birmingham Northern Relief Road rests with Midland Expressway Limited, including production of traffic predictions for the new road and the M6 corridor, which are presented at the Public Inquiry into the scheme between June 1994 and October 1995. Little, if anything of substance, has changed since the evidence was presented-- although comment in recent press notices might have suggested otherwise. The Highways Agency has a wider remit to manage the motorway and trunk road network and, as part of that responsibility, must ensure that information about demands and pressures on the network are continuously updated. In their capacity as advisers to the Highways Agency in the Midlands on development matters, Oscar Faber have been commissioned to carry out some work to assist in the consideration and assessment of development. As such, it is not a general review and is not embodied in a single report. Oscar Faber have undertaken other work on behalf which considers the existing and predicted `Stress on the Network'. This has been formally reported and deposited as input to Regional Planning Guidance. You are welcome to have sight of all the above Oscar Faber material, which can be viewed at the Agency's Birmingham office at Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1BL. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity please contact Gwyn Drake, Divisional Director for Network and Customer Services, who will be happy to make the necessary arrangements. Gwyn can be contacted at the Birmingham office or by telephoning 0121 678 8014.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

368 c32W;368 c32-3W; 160127

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Motorways Road traffic Roads Bypasses M6 M6 Toll

Link

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