Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

1997

Question 7/2/97 - Cynog Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's forecasts for daily vehicle usage for each of the next three decades for each of the roads covered by a current or planned design, build, finance and operate contracts.

Answer - John Watts: Traffic figures for each DBFO project are analysed on a link-by-link basis and there are numerous links in each project. It is not practicable, therefore, to condense these in a presentable format. However, you may be interested to know that the Highways Agency looks at a range of traffic forecasts covering the project road and the improvement schemes projected over the 30-year life of the DBFO contract. These traffic forecasts are based upon existing traffic flows which are subsequently increased in line with national roads traffic forecasts to provide projected traffic flows for evaluation of the DBFO contracts.

Question 19/2/97 - Cynog Dafis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the forecast government expenditure for each of the next three decades for each of the design, build, finance and operate road contracts that have been let.

Answer - John Watts: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Cynog Dafis, dated 19 February 1997:

The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent questions about DBFO road contracts.

The estimated payments for individual contracts are commercially confidential. However the following figures illustrate from Tranche 1 & 1A, the forecast average annual figure for government expenditure over each of the next three decades:

	1997/98-2006/07	2007/08-2016/17	2017/18-2026/27
Tranche 1	£99m	£127m	£94m
Tranche 1A	£78m	£102m	£120m
Total	£177m	£229m	£214m

These figures, which are in cash prices, will vary according to the usage of the DBFO road and the performance of the DBFO company. The figures do not include some additional but relatively minor future lump sum payments covering for example archaeological works. Because of their uncertain nature these are extremely difficult to estimate.

Question 10/7/97 - Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat, Lewes): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport & the Regions, what is his policy in respect of shadow tolls.

Answer - Glenda Jackson (Labour, Hampstead and Highgate): The government has conducted a review of the PFI and we are taking measures to reinvigorate it. Our policy on shadow tolling is that bids for projects, which we decide to pursue with remuneration on this basis, will be considered on their merits. A key issue will be the value for money offered by bids compared with conventional procurement.

Four questions 15/7/97 - David Chidgey (Liberal Democrat, Eastleigh) - To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of:

• Shadow tolling as a way of funding road building.
• Shadow tolling as part of an integrated transport policy.
• The potential consequences for local demand management and improvements in public transport of shadow tolling; and if he will make a statement.
• The potential environmental consequences of shadow tolling.

Answer - Glenda Jackson (Labour, Hampstead & Highgate): Development work is in hand to see whether it is possible to refine the shadow toll mechanism so that it is less dependent upon traffic-related payments and places greater emphasis on the safety of the road and the availability of lanes for traffic use. Other aspects of shadow tolling as a funding mechanism for road schemes will be considered in the context of our comprehensive spending review and in the work to develop an integrated transport strategy.

Question 23/7/97 - David Chidgey (Liberal Democrat, Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 22 July, concerning shadow toll payment mechanisms, what factors are being considered in the development work on payment mechanisms.

Answer - Glenda Jackson (Labour, Hampstead and Highgate): The development work is exploring the feasibility of a refined payment mechanism, reward structure, appropriate allocation of risk and the implications for the value for money which might be on offer under a refined mechanism.

Question 23/7/97 - David Chidgey (Liberal Democrat, Eastleigh): To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 22 July, if the development work on payment mechanisms is successful, such mechanisms can be applied to roads which have already been approved by him.

Answer - Glenda Jackson (Labour, Hampstead and Highgate): No. The terms of signed contracts cannot be modified in this way.