CONCRETE ROADS GET THE QUIET TREATMENT
17 Oct 2001 12:00 AM
Plans to resurface some of the country''s noisiest roads with quieter
surfaces over the next three years were announced by Transport
Minister David Jamieson today.
Four schemes are in the south-west; five are in the north; eight are
in the Midlands; and eight are in the south-east in the list
published today by the Highways Agency.
Details were given to MPs by Mr Jamieson in a written reply to a
Parliamentary Question from Gareth Thomas MP (attached).
Mr Jamieson said: ''These schemes will bring relief from noise to
residents and drivers alike. The schemes announced today are part of
the start of a programme which will see all concrete roads on the
motorway and trunk road network resurfaced with quieter materials by
2010.''
The list of schemes was supported by publication of the criteria
which will be used by the Highways Agency to determine the priority
for different parts of the network to be resurfaced by 2010.
The criteria adopted by the Agency are:
1. Wherever possible the application of quieter surfaces will fit
in with normal maintenance needs;
2. Priority will be given to those sites where treatment would
benefit the greatest number of people;
3. Works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise
disruption to general public and users of network;
4. Priority will be given to roads, opened since June 1988, where
actual noise levels have turned out to be significantly higher than
predicted at the time of the Public Inquiry.
The Agency is currently working to identify additional schemes that
satisfy the second and third criteria and could be added to the list.
It has also identified 17 roads with concrete surfaces that have been
opened since June 1988 and has begun a programme of noise surveys to
identify those that satisfy the fourth criterion.
The resurfacing of concrete roads (which are around 5% of the trunk
road network) is part of the programme to install quieter surfaces on
over 60% of the trunk road network by 2010.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Highways Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for
Transport, Local Government and the Regions which manages,
maintains and improves the network of trunk roads and motorways in
England on behalf of the Secretary of State. It works closely with
other transport operators and with local authorities to integrate
the trunk road network with the rest of England''s roads and other
forms of transport.
2. The date 2010 refers to the start of the financial year, which
starts April 2010 and finishes 31 March 2011.
Issued by the Highways Agency Public Relations Department
Parliamentary Question by Gareth R. Thomas (Harrow West)
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the
Regions what progress has been made on surfacing concrete trunk roads
with quieter materials announced in the Transport 2010: The 10 Year
Plan.
Reply by Mr Jamieson
Having consulted with English local highway authorities and other
interested bodies, we have established criteria for prioritising the
surfacing of concrete trunk roads with quieter materials. These
criteria are:
1. that wherever possible the application of quieter surfaces will
fit in with normal maintenance needs;
2. that priority will be given to those sites where treatment would
benefit the greatest number of people;
3. that the works will be carried out in such a way as to minimise
disruption to general public and users of network;
4. that priority will be given to roads, opened since June 1988,
where actual noise levels have turned out to be significantly
higher than predicted at the time of the Public Inquiry.
I am pleased to be able to announce a list of schemes that satisfy
the first criterion and are planned for the following three years
(2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05). They are listed below together with
those that are planned for 2001/02:
Region Project Description Length(km) Properties
Affected/km
2001/02
South East A12 Hatfield Peverel 1.5 158
South East M11 J6-7 NB 7 11
South East M27 J2-4 9 125
South East M25 J16-17 marker 6 32
post 104/9 to 110/4
South West M5 J26-27 marker 2.6 5
post 227/2 to 229/8
Midlands M42 J9-10 6.8 174
northbound carriageway
Midlands
A1 Winthorpe to North Muskham 4.1 37
Midlands
A1 Long Bennington Bypass 3.5 41
2002/03 - 2004/05
Midlands
A1 Winthorpe - Coddington 3 93
Midlands
A1 Coddington - Balderton 3 37
Midlands
A1 Carlton - North Muskham 5.3 12
Midlands
A46 Widmerpool to Willoughby 4 1
Midlands
A46 Willoughby to Six Hills 4 0
Midlands
M42 J2-3 Crack & Seat contract1 3.8 6
Midlands M42 J9-10 11.5 28
Midlands
M69 Con 2 J21 to flexible section 10 8
Northern
A180 Harbrough - Stallingborough 4 11
Northern
A180 Great Coates - Pyewipe 3.5 15
Northern
M62 Gilberdyke - Newport 3.8 1
Northern M180 Sandtoft J2 3.8 0
Northern M180 J2 - Beltoft 3.8 2
South East A12 Brentwood 2 4.4 87
South East A12 Witham 7 117
South East
M25 J26-27 Cont 2 (MP153/1-158/6) 4.4 44
South East
A47 East Dereham Bypass (2000/2001) 3.2 205
South East M20 J10 - 11 6.5 58
South East M11 J9-8 Phase 1 7 27
South East M11 J6-7 SB 7 11
South East
M20 J11 - J13 (MP 100/1 - 109/2) 6 156
South West M5, J27 South-Willand 5 51
South West
M5 J26-27 NB & SB (MP217/B-220/0) 4.4 5
South West
M5 J26-27 NB & SB (MP 220/0-223/6) 3.6 5
South West
M5 J26-27 NB & SB (MP 223/6-227/2) 3.6 5
The Highways Agency is currently identifying additional schemes that
satisfy the second and third criteria and could be added to this
list. The Agency has also identified 17 roads with concrete surfaces
that have been opened since June 1988 and has instigated a programme
of noise surveys to identify those that satisfy the fourth criterion.
These roads are:
M18 Junctions 5-6
M20 Junctions 9-8
M23 Junctions 10-9 Northbound Lane 1
A1-M1 Link
A11 Besthorpe-Wymondham Bypass
A13 A1306 to M25 Junction 30
A27 Chichester-Havant
A30 Exeter-Honiton
A34 Peartree-Weston
A35 Tolpuddle/Puddletown
A50 Doveridge Bypass
A50 Derby Southern Bypass
A50 Foston-Hatton-Hilton Bypass
A52 Bottesford bypass
A249 (M2 to Iwade)
A417/419 Cirencester & Latton Bypass
A483 (B5445 to Welsh Boundary)