Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the environment of an Ipswich Northern Bypass; and if he will make a statement.

The Department requested Sub-national Transport Bodies (STBs) and regional groupings to provide advice by the end of July on their local road investment priorities for the Major Road Network (MRN) and Large Local Major (LLM) programmes. Transport East, who are the relevant regional body for the area, included the proposed Ipswich Northern Routes scheme in their advice.

The Department will now carefully consider the evidence of the impact and potential benefits of the proposed scheme. We expect local authorities to demonstrate, among other things, the scheme’s value for money, deliverability and its impact and benefits to local residents and the environment.

MRN investments should endeavor to help secure positive environmental enhancements in line with the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan (A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment published January 2018). Where negative impacts cannot be avoided, we expect scheme promoters to minimise and mitigate these impacts in line with existing requirements.

Announcements on successful schemes will be made in due course.