As part of routine business Ministers will meet a wide range of organisations including Members of Parliament, local authorities and community organisations in relation to road improvement schemes. In addition, during visits to regions, Ministers will also see a number of road schemes that have been completed or which are being promoted by the Highways Agency and local highway authorities.
Ministers have over recent months met a number of community groups, MPs and local councillors to discuss road improvement schemes, across England.
(2) how much was made available to support road improvement schemes in (a) Cumbria and (b) Copeland constituency in each year since 1997.
Since 1997, the Department has contributed funding as set in the following table to the following Highways Agency major road schemes on the trunk road network in Cumbria.
A595 Parton to Lilyhall Improvement Scheme;
A590 High and Low Newton Bypass;
M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill Extension;
A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass; and
A66 Temple Sowerby Bypass and Improvement to Winderwath.
Cost (£ million) 1997-98 0 1998-99 0 1999-2000 0 2000-01 2.2 2001-02 5.3 2002-03 9.0 2003-04 2.8 2004-05 3.8 2005-06 10.7 2006-07 65.4 2007-08 94.3
Cumbria county council as local highway authority is responsible for local transport in Cumbria including the Copeland constituency. The council is currently promoting the Carlisle Northern Development Route which will be partly funded through the Government’s private finance initiative with a departmental contribution of £142.8 million towards the total cost.
The following table shows the funding through the Local Transport capital settlement that has been allocated to Cumbria county council since 1997. It is for Cumbria to determine how allocations are spent, having regard to its Local Transport Plan.
2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Capital Highway Maintenance 5.5 9.2 9.8 11.1 13.0 14.7 15.5 18.8 Integrated Block Allocation 2.3 6.0 7.2 5.8 5.7 5.7 5.3 5.3
Prior to 2000-01, the Government funding support for local transport investment by Cumbria county council (including for major schemes and major maintenance) totalled £3.748 million in 1997-98, £2.384 million in 1998-99 and £5.311 million in 1999-2000.
The following table sets out the total reported revenue and capital spend both by Cumbria county council and Copeland district council on road maintenance in each year between 1997-98 and 2006-07.
Cumbria council Area of spend 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Total Reported Revenue Spend Cumbria 16.4 16.9 17.6 16.0 16.8 18.1 12.1 15.3 14.6 13.4 Copeland 0.037 0.054 0.032 0.029 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Reported Capital Spend Cumbria n/a 2.4 5.2 2.3 4.4 11.7 10.3 12.3 15.6 13.5 Copeland n/a 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 n/a = Not available.