By-passes: Dip names 13
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THIRTEEN BY-PASSES have been added to the English road programme for 1986 onwards, thus fulfilling Transport Secretary David Howell's promise at the Conservative Party conference in Brighton this month.
The road schemes extend from Somerset to Northumberland, and include three projects identified for the first time. The other 10 by-passes were in the Department of Tr9nsport's suspended list before.
In the programme for the first time are by-passes on the A140 at Scole (Norfolk), A420 at Kingston Bagpuize and Southmoor (Oxfordshire), and A428 at Lavendon (Buckinghamshire).
The schemes taken out of the suspended list are on the A3 at Milford (Surrey), A6 at Barton (Bedfordshire), A16 at Spalding, Pinchbeck, Surfleet, Gosberton and Sutterton (Lincolnshire), A27 at Westhampnett (West Sussex), A35 at Charmouth (Dorset),A41 at Wh itch u rch (Shropshire), A303 at Sparkford (Somerset), A435 at Norton and Lenchwick (Warwickshire), A516 at Etwall (Derbyshire), and A696 at Woolsington and Kenton Bank Foot (Tyne and Wear/Northumberland).
In addition to these, a grade separated junction is to be built on the Al at Baldersby, North Yorkshire and the A47 is to be improved at Wardley Hill, Leicestershire.
Six schemes have also been added to the 1984/85 programme, including stages three and four of the improvements to the M63 between Stretford and Eccles in Greater Manchester.
A grade separated junction is to be built on the Al at Barnsdale Bar, South Yorkshire, another on the A69 at Team Val ley, Tyne and Wear, the A419 is to be widened to dual carriageway between Blunsdon and Crickdale, Wiltshire, and the A565 Derby Road is to be improved in Merseyside.
Details of the road schemes are contained in a report Roads: England 1982 published this week, and available from the Department of Transport for £1.35.
Commenting on the expanded programme, Mr Howell, who hopes that it is sufficient to sweeten the heavier lorry pill, said: "I am delighted to be able to announce the prospect of relief from heavy through traffic for the people who live in all these communities."
He pointed out that the bypasses fit into the overall trunk road programme, which is still centred primarily on the M25 London orbital route and other industrially biased projects.
Mr Howell offered a hope for more by-passes later this year when he said: "In addition, I have ensured that local authorities have the funds to start 35 bypasses this year. I hope to do as well for them next year."
The roads report also offers the possibility of some privately financed road schemes being put out to tender next year. Discussions with the construction industry and finance institutions are continuing, and if the are concluded satisfactorily, the DTp might seek tenders on both the conventional and royalty bases for a limited number of schemes.