§ 27. Mr. Woodburnasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the respective estimates if the Linthouse Tunnel is made complete as one operation and alternatively in two or more stages.
§ 56. Mr. Rankinasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give an estimate of the relative cost of building the two tunnels at Linthouse together, and of building them as separate projects, starting the second immediately on completion of the first.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe estimated cost of the entire twin-tunnel scheme is about £5 million, and it is not expected that, with suitable co-ordination, authorisation of the tunnels in succession will increase the cost.
§ Mr. WoodburnCan the Minister say whether the scheme includes the gas, electricity and water services which are required to pass under the Clyde? Is it not desirable that there should not be three or four public utilities making tunnels under the Clyde, but that the work on gas, electricity, and water services, as well as on the road, should be embodied in one great operation?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterMy answer related—as I understood, perhaps wrongly, the right hon. Gentleman's question to relate—to the roads crossing by way of a tunnel. If the right hon. Gentleman had in mind tunnels for other utilities I should be grateful if he would put down another Question, although I doubt whether it would be addressed to me.
§ Mr. WoodburnThe proposition is that one tunnel should be used for all those 373 purposes and that there should not be a number of tunnels. Is the Minister coordinating with his fellow-Ministers to see that there is not a duplication or multiplication of work? The greatest economy is achieved by doing all these things in one operation.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI would rather not answer that question without notice, though I am bound to say that I have a great deal of sympathy with the right hon. Gentleman's point of view.
§ Mr. RankinIs the Minister aware that his figures will have value only if the second tunnel is started immediately the first is completed?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterMy figures are based on proper co-ordination, which is the expression I used. If the hon. Gentleman thinks that that is proper co-ordination, as he has suggested, I have no doubt that we should not quarrel very much.
§ Mr. RankinBy "proper co-ordination" does the Minister mean that the second tunnel will start immediately the first is finished? Otherwise his figures are valueless.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe figures are a result of calculations of what can be done. I certainly do not propose to add to my answer.