59. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in the interests of saving materials and of cost, he will make more use of prestressed concrete for the construction of bridges in the new motorway and roads programme.
§ Mr. NugentThe respective merits of the various forms of bridge construction are well known, and I do not think there is any need for me to urge especially the use of any one of them.
Mr. Gresham CookeIs my hon. Friend aware that on the motorway programme some concern has been expressed about the large number of bridges constructed of the relatively old-fashioned materials like reinforced concrete, and whether, in view of the saving in the cost of materials, it would not be better in some of these road programmes to have prestressed concrete?
§ Mr. NugentAs a rule, we leave these matters to the consulting engineers, but I see that a number of big bridges are being built in prestressed concrete, the nearest and most important being the Gunners-bury fly-over at Chiswick. I think my hon. Friend may be confident that it will be used where it is most appropriate.