To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated cost was of the next best option (western route) which Lancashire County Council submitted in her Department as their major business scheme in 2005; what environmental mitigation measures were identified for this route; and what the estimated cost was of any such measures. (152329)

Lancashire county council’s 2005 major scheme business case for the Heysham to M6 link did not include an estimated cost for the next best option (the western route). However, it did include an explanation of the reasons why the local authority had rejected the western route. A copy of the business case is available on Lancashire county council’s website at

www.lancashire.gov.uk.