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Dept for Transport

Answer

Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision concerning the application by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority to build a new Tyne crossing; and if he will make a statement. [214229] Mr. Jamieson: The application by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority (TWPTA) for an order under the Transport and Works Act to authorise a new Tyne crossing was considered at a public inquiry in March 2003. The Department received the inspector's report in September 2003. However, in February 2004 the TWPTA informed the Department that they were reviewing the powers they needed to implement their scheme and, in September 2004, they formally requested many significant changes to their draft order. In the interests of fairness, other interested parties were given an opportunity to make representations to the Department about those changes. Those exchanges concluded in December and the responses are being considered. Furthermore, the TWPTA's proposed changes to the order have raised a substantial number of detailed drafting points on which my Department has sought clarification. We still await a response from the TWPTA to the drafting points we have raised. Once we receive satisfactory answers we will make every effort to proceed to a decision as quickly as possible.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

430 c1191W; 214229

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Bridges Powers Regulation Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority River Tyne

Link

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