HC Deb 11 May 1999 vol 331 cc102-3
4. Mr. David Amess (Southend, West)

What recent representations he has received about the road building programme in Essex. [82783]

The Minister of Transport (Dr. John Reid)

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received various representations about aspects of road building and associated transport issues in Essex.

Mr. Amess

The delays in completing the M11 link road are an absolute disgrace—for which I blame the Government—and Labour's partners, the Liberal Democrats, suffered huge reverses in Southend, West on Thursday as a result of their road-building policy. How does the Minister expect us to maintain any roads in my constituency when we have suffered a 12 per cent. cut in road maintenance as a result of the Government's policy? What exactly have the Government done since 1 May 1997 to ease traffic congestion in Southend, West?

Dr. Reid

One road into Southend certainly seems to have been effective the road from Basildon.

As the hon. Gentleman will know, we have adopted a policy of targeting roads for schemes that have been not only costed, but funded, unlike the fantasy football league wish list produced by the last Government. I would have thought that the hon. Gentleman would welcome the Government's decision to provide £92 million for the A130 in Essex. That is largely although not exclusively—a result of the efforts of, among others, my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Mrs. Butler), who has made a much more constructive contribution to the Essex infrastructure than the hon. Gentleman.

Mr. Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock)

Southend, and Essex generally, will benefit from the new A13; but will the Minister ask his Department to examine the impact of the new road as it crosses from Thurrock into the London boroughs, where there is considerable congestion, partly as a consequence of the improved road structure? Additional road traffic management schemes could provide greater mobility not only for commuters, but in the important corridor to the Thames gateway and the industrial areas on the river frontage. There is a problem on the London borough boundary, and I hope that the Minister will get his Department to look at it—at minimal cost.

Dr. Reid

Everything that we do is done at minimal cost, to the benefit of the taxpayer.

Of course I will examine the problem. My hon. Friend has made a good point. We have been contributing to an integrated transport policy in Essex, using radical but rational criteria for road building, as we have elsewhere in the country. It must be said that we have not always been helped by a Tory regime in Essex—the Tory regime that cut education spending to £3 million below the Government's recommended level, knocked £8 million off the social services budget and increased school meal charges by 15 per cent. The whole House will welcome the news that that Tory administration was toppled this morning, and that there is now a Labour leader.

Sir Teddy Taylor (Rochford and Southend, East)

Is the Minister aware that it is a nightmare trying to persuade firms to establish themselves in Southend-on-Sea, where unemployment is relatively high? The problem is particularly bad in Shoeburyness. It takes about half an hour to get outside the town, because of traffic congestion. I realise that many areas suffer from congestion, but will the Minister persuade his Department to look at the congestion in Southend to see whether it is worse than the average, and whether there might be a case for a ring road? That would greatly ease all our problems.

Dr. Reid

I speak from memory, but I believe that some years ago, there was a plan for a Rochford bypass in the hon. Gentleman's area. I think—again, I speak from memory—that the scheme was withdrawn because the last Conservative Government refused to make funds available, or at least were extremely unlikely to do so. I assure the hon. Gentleman, however, that since then Southend, and Essex as a whole, have been promoting more sustainable transport measures as part of the south-east Essex transport package. I am glad to say that my Department has supported that for the last four years, under both Conservative and Labour Governments.