HC Deb 16 February 1955 vol 537 c366
21. Mr. Vane

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation which authority was responsible for the design and what was the respective cost of two footbridges recently constructed alongside the bridges carrying A.6 main road over the main railway line at Clifton in West-morland and over the River Eamont at the boundary of Westmorland and Cumberland.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

These bridges were erected on my behalf by the Westmorland County Council. I accept full responsibility for them. Their cost was £1,406 and £3,400 respectively.

Mr. Vane

Will my right hon. Friend look into the design of these two bridges, because one is much more costly than the other and also much uglier, and since the uglier one is constructed alongside one of the most beautiful bridges in the North of England, it seems rather a pity that his Department, through its agents, should be responsible for work of this sort?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The "ugly one" was put alongside the beautiful one—by which, I presume, my hon. Friend means the second one mentioned in the Question—because the problem there is that the original one is a very fine ancient monument, protected by the Ministry of Works. It was thought desirable, whilst providing safe accommodation for pedestrians, not to alter its construction, and, therefore, we had to build another one.