To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the reasons for the time taken to implement the provisions of the Traffic Management Act 2004 in respect of permits for works in the highway. (142386)

Part 3 of the Traffic Management Act 2004, permit schemes, is dependant upon part 4 of the Act, the notices, directions and restrictions regulations. As such the permit regulations cannot be laid prior to part 4.

I would refer the hon. Member to the written statement made to the House on 7 June 2007, Official Report, columns 30-31WS, which set out the reasons for the time taken to implement Traffic Management Act regulations. All these reasons apply to part 4.