§ 32. Mr. LOOKERasked the Minister of Transport why no progress is being made with the construction of the last section of the new road to Tilbury; and what prospects there are of the road being finally completed at an early date?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe county councils of Essex and of London have collaborated with my Department in remodelling the London-Tilbury road which now discharges, in its improved form, into existing roads in Tilbury. I am not at present in a position to offer a grant towards the extension of the improvement through Tilbury.
§ Mr. LOOKERDoes my right hon. Friend consider it a business arrangement to construct, at vast expense, an arterial road for the great docking system, and to stop it short 300 or 400 yards from the dock, a railway intervening between so that it does not connect with the docks in any way?
§ Colonel ASHLEYThe answer is that the existing roads in Tilbury are not nearly as bad as my hon. Friend imagines.
§ Mr. LOOKERThe whole point is that this road stops 300 yards short of the docks.
§ Colonel ASHLEYIt is rather more than 300 yards. These roads are not half as bad as my hon. Friend suggests, and they can carry the traffic which goes over them, and there are other necessary improvements which must take precedence.