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Dept for Transport

Answer

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much and what proportion of the Highways Agency budget for 2004-05 is expected to be spent on (a) noise barriers and (b) other environmental programmes in (i) maintenance and (ii) non- maintenance programmes; [200639] (2) what route mileage of (a) road surface and (b) noise barriers is expected to be installed by the Highways Agency and its operators in (i) 2004-05, (ii) 2005-06 and (iii) 2006-07. [200901] Mr. Jamieson: The Highways Agency does not have available all data in relation to noise barriers and other environmental measures in the format requested. However, it is known that approximately £8.5 million will be spent on noise barriers in the current financial year. This figure is about 0.5 per cent. of the Highways Agency's published business plan total programme budget. The total approximate cost of environmental measures for the current financial year is £20 million. This figure includes measures such as wildlife fencing, badger runs and landscape planting. Although some of the measures are noise related, it is not possible to break down the costs to extract these. The cost of noise mitigation measures included in maintenance schemes cannot be separately identified. However, when building new roads or re-surfacing existing ones, quieter noise surfacing is used where possible. The approximate route length to be replaced or newly built in the current financial year is 400 km. The approximate length of noise barriers to be installed in the same period is 32 km. Figures are not yet available for 2005-06 and 2006-07 as budgets are yet to be confirmed.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

428 c197-8W; 200639;200901

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Costs Highways Agency Pollution control Noise Materials Roads Repairs and maintenance

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

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