Question
One of the biggest straitjackets on economic growth east to west is the “most-bashed bridge in Britain” on the A5 in my patch: the Watling Street bridge. There are plans to lower the road underneath it, but they seem to have stalled. Will the Minister speak with the Transport Secretary to see what can be done to get those plans unstuck, so that the road can be lowered and we can get Britain moving again?
Answer
The A5 is a hugely important cross-border artery, so it is vital to ensure that traffic can flow smoothly. If the hon. Gentleman would care to write to me on the subject, I would be happy to follow up with officials and the Secretary of State for Transport.29% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (45/100)
The minister gave a clear answer to whether they would speak to the Secretary of State for Transport about the A5, committing to follow this up. The reply did not answer the second question, about what can be done to get the stalled scheme moving. It offered a general statement of the road's importance, pointed to a letter, and promised further follow-up without naming any specific action or mechanism. The asker would likely need to ask again for concrete next steps.
Verdict: AMBER (70/100)
The question asked whether the Minister would speak to the Transport Secretary about the stalled A5 plans. The reply directly commits to following up with the Secretary of State for Transport, which answers that narrow point clearly. It does not explain what action would be taken to get the scheme moving, so a member of the public may still want to ask what happens next.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister speak with the Secretary of State for Transport about the stalled plans to lower the A5 road beneath the Watling Street bridge? | Addressed | Direct | The item asks whether the Minister will speak with the Secretary of State for Transport about the A5 plans, and statement 3 directly commits to following up with the Secretary of State for Transport. The commitment is concrete and names the right counterpart, so it answers the yes/no question. |
| Will the Minister speak with the Transport Secretary about what can be done to unblock the stalled plans to lower the A5 road under the Watling Street bridge? | Addressed | Direct | The item asks whether the Minister will speak with the Transport Secretary about the stalled A5 plans, and statement 4 directly commits to following up with the Secretary of State for Transport. The reply does not say what would be done to unblock the scheme, but the item's core ask is whether that engagement will happen, and the commitment answers it. |
| What can be done to unstick the stalled plans to lower the road under the Watling Street bridge on the A5? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The item asks what can be done to unstick the stalled A5 scheme, but the reply names no action or mechanism for doing so; statement 1 is a generic statement of the road's importance, statement 2 defers to a letter, and statement 3 offers only to follow up with officials and the Secretary of State. |