Darling ducks key Article 14 questions

Mar 6 2006 By Ross Smith, The Journal

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling came under fire last night after he ducked questions over road chiefs' blocks on development in the North-East.

He delegated to Highways Agency regional manager Stephen Spink the task of responding to a letter criticising the use of Article 14 orders to hold up planning applications over fears that North-East roads cannot cope.

But Mr Spink wrote that decisions to intervene on developments were made by the Secretary of State, and the agency had "no choice" but to use Article 14s to implement them.

The letter was sent to Brian Moore, who had written to Mr Darling in his role as Newcastle Conservative Federation chairman, to demand an end to the agency's tactics.

Last night, Mr Moore accused Mr Darling of "sheer contempt for the North-East" for not replying to the letter himself.

Mr Spink wrote: "Unfortunately I am unable to give the undertaking you seek about ceasing the use of Article 14 directions.

"We have no choice to continue to use them as the means by which we inform local planning authorities of the Secretary of State for Transport's decision on developments affecting his road network."

He blamed delays on developers who failed to provide enough information in planning applications over the affect on main road traffic.

And he said the benefit of coverage through the Go For Jobs campaign had been to encourage developers to contact the agency before making applications. Mr Moore - who has now stood down as chairman, but will still play a leading role in the Tories' local elections campaign - said the letter ignored the poor state of the A1 and A19.

He said: "The problem in the North-East is not a planning issue. It's a sheer lack of investment in infrastructure that is driving jobs to the South-East.

Until the Government starts supporting the people of the North-East, we will continue to see unacceptable levels of unemployment, because we have not got the infrastructure."

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