HC Deb 30 May 1956 vol 553 cc215-6
13. Mr. Stokes

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made with the widening and realignment of A.12 at Gun Hill.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Hugh Molson)

The necessary land has been acquired and it is hoped to carry out the work in the near future.

Mr. Stokes

That may be, but is the alteration to which the Minister refers an alteration which means taking four yards off the corner, because, if so, will he look at it again, as the general result will be that the vision of drivers of vehicles will be more rather than less obscured—they will see more of the ends of the cottages and less of the bridge?

Mr. Molson

I am aware that the local authority which agreed to undertake this work as our agent has now some doubts about the matter, but I am not prepared to say what the position will be. We will certainly give consideration to the views of the local authority on the subject.

Mr. Stokes

When the Minister looks at it, will he realise that the only possible constructive alternative is to take a short cut across the corner from the bottom of Gun Hill to the top, leaving out the present point, and that at the present time the bottom of the hill is almost the worst place in East Anglia? It has almost ten times as many accidents as any other place.

Mr. Molson

I do not think it would be advantageous if I pursued an argument about this site at Question Time.