24. Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what major road schemes have been decided upon for 1957 and 1958 in Durham County; and what schemes under £100,000 will be put into operation in Durham County for 1957 and 1958.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the trunk road schemes, two costing more than £100,000 each and four costing less, which I hope to authorise in Durham County during the next two financial years. As regards classified roads, I am not yet able to say what schemes I shall be able to accept during the next two years.
Mr. SlaterIs the Minister aware that in Durham County the county authority has built up a direct labour force for carrying out its five-year plan, and that if something is not done whereby the Minister can bring himself into a position to give greater consideration to some of these major schemes in order to meet the leeway which has to be made up, the plan will take fifteen years?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI have given consideration to the matter and have just announced four schemes, two of which will cost over £200,000.
Mr. SlaterYes, but could the Minister state whether the Salt Lane scheme is one of those to which he has referred, and which will be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT?
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe hon. Member had better look at the list. It is dearly set out.
§ Following is the list:
§ Estimated to cost over £100,000
- A. 19 Seaton Bank Railway Bridge Diversion, Ryhope.
- A.184 Gateshead-Felling By-pass.
§ Estimated to cost under £100,000
- A.1 Widening of North End of Ferryhill Cut (Stage 2).
- A.19 Widening Tanners Bank, Norten-Stockton.
- A.19 Widening Castle Eden Railway Bridge.
- A.19 Widening at Billingham Swan Hotel to Kings Arms (Stage 2).
25. Mr. Slaterasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, in view of the condition of many of the roads in County Durham due to mining subsidence, if he will make a special grant to the highway authority towards bringing such roads into good condition.
§ Mr. MolsonWithin the limits of the money available we already make grants to the county council for this class of work on classified roads.
Mr. SlaterI am aware that the Ministry does, but is the Minister satisfied that the amount of money that he is allocating to this one—mining subsidence is affecting the highway considerably in Durham County—will meet the position which Durham wants to have met?
§ Mr. MolsonI should not like to say, with regard to any part of the country, that the grants which we are able to make for maintenance and minor improvements are as much as we should like to provide, but I am satisfied that Durham is having its fair share of the money which is available.