To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of costs to the economy of (a) the North West and (b) the UK arising from motorway closures in 2007.

Figures on the cost of motorway closures to the economy are not routinely calculated.

However, delays are calculated for 91 routes covering most of the strategic road network, including strategic motorway routes in the North West. An estimate of daytime delays (6 am to 8 pm) for each of these routes is available for the period January to December 2007. This information was placed in the House Libraries of the House in response to an answer on 2 April 2008, Hansard, columns 1029-30W to Norman Baker.

Figures are presented on a rolling year basis. Delay is calculated as the difference between observed journey time and a reference journey time (the time that could theoretically be achieved when the traffic is free flowing). Figures for average delays on motorways and trunk roads for individual regions are not calculated on this basis.