HC Deb 11 July 1956 vol 556 cc395-7
54. Mr. G. Jeger

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is aware of the dangerous nature of the road A614 from Airmyn and Rawcliffe Station bridge for about half a mile towards Goole; and whether he will take action to improve it.

Mr. Molson

We are aware of the need to improve this length of road, but I cannot at present say when it will be possible to authorise an improvement scheme. In the meantime, work has recently been completed to provide a better surface on this and an adjoining length.

Mr. Jeger

Is he aware that, in putting down a better surface, he has obliterated the marks which had been placed there by the surveyor with the intention of improving the road instead of putting the new surface on top of the bad substructure? Is he also aware of the fact that the present condition of the road is very unsatisfactory, that it is narrow, that its surface is bad and dangerous, that there is a ditch alongside it, and that even the police in the neighbourhood are asking that something should be done about it?

Mr. Molson

I am sorry if, after this improvement in the surface, in some respects the result has been unsatisfactory. I will certainly make inquiries into it, in the light of what the hon. Gentleman has said.

Mr. H. Morrison

In view of the long string of complaints from Yorkshire, and, indeed, from other parts of the country, and the negative answers, on the whole, which have been given to these questions, would the Parliamentary Secretary or the Minister one of these days be good enough to inform the House—perhaps they can do it now—what is the total revenue from motor licences to the so-called Road Fund and how much of it is filched by the Treasury and thereby denied to the roads?

Mr. Molson

That supplementary question does not arise out of this Question. In any case, the information is available in the papers which have been presented to the House. I have already given a list of major works which are to be undertaken in that part of Yorkshire. In addition, there are a number of others, such as the Finningley by-pass, the North Elmsall diversion, the Tudworth Hall diversion, and the improvement of the junction of A1 with A614. As I happen to have that information available, I thought the right hon. Gentleman might like to have it.

Mr. T. Williams

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the fact that there are so many schemes urgently necessary now indicates that there must have been much neglect in the past?

Mr. Molson

It was only when this Government came into office that even a beginning was made.