§ 44. Mr. Albuasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when it is proposed to start the construction of the new Victoria tube linking North-East London with Victoria and South-West London, Route C.
§ Mr. NugentBecause the project raises difficult financial problems and the capital which is available to the British Transport Commission can be more 410 advantageously used for their modernisation programme, no decision has yet been taken.
§ Mr. AlbuDoes not the Minister agree with the recent remarks of the Chairman of the Commission, that the only way to solve the traffic problem of London is to construct this new tube, and would it not provide a very considerable economic saving in the City of London and the Greater London area as a whole if this tube were constructed? Further, is it not the fact that these tubes cannot be constructed without capital subsidy from the Government?
§ Mr. NugentWe are making very large capital sums available to the Commission to proceed with its modernisation. This scheme would cost an additional £55½ million, and it is computed to make a loss in any event. Therefore, it has to take its turn with other matters which may have greater priority.
§ Mr. Ernest DaviesWill the Minister look at this with a little more imagination? Is it not a fact that it would bring considerably more relief to the centre of London than the construction of new roads, and would it not, therefore, be quite reasonable to consider financing this scheme in the same way as roads are financed and built, then handing the tube over to the London Transport Executive to operate?
§ Mr. NugentI agree that it would assist in moving passengers about in London, but we must look at it in the context of what would be the greater benefit which we should derive from either this scheme or one of the other railway modernisation schemes all about the country.