Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) survival rates and (b) total costs of trees planted during the upgrade to the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.

a) Around 800,000 trees have been planted across the mainline scheme, with an additional 140,000 trees recently planted this season which have not been included in previous figures. National Highways has undertaken a first survey to establish survival rates and re-planted all the trees which did not survive. A further survey is underway, and a report is being produced to analyse reasons for tree failures and suggestions for replanting strategy.

b) National Highways have spent circa £2m to date.