To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Government support for the south Thamesside development route, phase 4. [8783]

My hon. Friend is quite rightly a strong supporter of the south Thamesside development route, phase 4. We have undertaken to fund the scheme through transport supplementary grant, at an estimated cost of £14.1 million.

Will not this project be, in effect, the Northfleet town bypass? The town will have, on one side, the Thames tunnel of the channel tunnel rail link and, on the other, Ebbsfleet international station. During the construction of those large projects, heavy goods vehicles will rumble through the town, as there is currently no other route for them. Does my hon. Friend accept that the people of Northfleet are fed up to the back teeth with Kent county council, which has delayed the introduction of the project? Two years after the public exhibition, the council is now involved in an inspector's inquiry. Will my hon. Friend give an assurance that, as and when Kent county council does its work properly, he will ensure that the inquiry is carried out as fast as possible?

We are waiting for Kent county council to contact us about suitable dates for the public inquiry. When it has done so, we shall make the arrangements for the inquiry as rapidly as possible and take the scheme through its statutory procedures without undue delay.