§ Major Procterasked the Minister of Transport what is the present approximate annual traffic passing through Rochester, Winchester, Maidstone, Selby, and Ton-bridge, respectively; what is the approximate cost of the by-pass schemes in respect of each; and, in view of the fact that some hundreds of by-pass schemes are now in contemplation and that it will not be possible for many of them to be carried out for some considerable time, what steps he proposes to take to arrange for preference to be given only to those by-pass schemes where serious traffic congestion is involved?
§ Mr. BurginFollowing is the information:
The average daily tonnage of traffic through the towns during the period of a census taken in August, 1935, on Class I Roads, and the estimated cost of bypasses, are:
Tons. £ Rochester 28,000 1,080,000 Winchester 17,000 395,000 Maidstone 32,000 650,000 700,000 Tonbridge 14,000 300,000 Save in the case of trunk roads, the responsibility for initiation and execution of road works rests with the local highway authority concerned; but I shall continue to take all possible steps to press for priority for works which are urgent 1772W from the point of view of safety and traffic needs.