§ 18. Major Wallasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will now assign a priority in the Government's road building programme to the construction of a bridge over the River Humber.
§ The Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation (Mr. Harold Watkinson)I regret I can offer no hope of including a new Humber bridge in the Government's road programme in the foreseeable future. The City of Hull, on behalf of the other local authorities concerned, have been informed of my reasons.
§ Major WallIs my right hon. Friend aware that a considerable sum of money has been spent in investigating the difficulties in building such a bridge, and that such a bridge would be of great value, not only to Humberside but to all the eastern counties? Will he therefore keep the scheme under review?
§ Mr. WatkinsonYes, I certainly will. It is only fair to the interests involved, however, to make it plain that it has not great priority at the moment.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsWhat has happened to the priority which was promised by many of the right hon. Gentleman's predecessors for the Severn Bridge? Where does that come in?
§ Mr. WatkinsonPerhaps the right hon. Gentleman would not mind putting that Question down. It is quite a different Question.
§ Mr. GowerWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind, in considering the question, that some years ago the Severn Bridge project had a much higher priority than this bridge, or even than the Forth Bridge, which is now placed higher up on the list? Is he also aware that many people in South Wales, the Midlands and the West Country would not like the Severn Bridge to be put at the end of the queue?
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe House might be surprised to know how many bridges I have on my list, all claiming top priority.
§ Mr. E. L. MallalieuHas the right hon. Gentleman forgotten the immense importance of the Humber bridge to North Lincolnshire, and will he not give some sort of priority or some indication that he does regard this as a serious project which will be put into operation at some time in the near future?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI have given an indication in my Answer that there is no hope of including it in the road programme in the foreseeable future.