§ 3. Mr. Orbachasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of miles of railway tracks and surfaced roads in the Colony and Protectorate of Sierra Leone, respectively; and what plans have been made for increasing rail and road transport.
§ Mr. ProfumoThe Sierra Leone Railway has 339 miles of track, of which 46 miles is in the Colony. Over £3½ million are being spent on improvements. There are 90 miles of tarred road in the Colony and 42 miles in the Protectorate. Under the current development programme a further 190 miles of Protectorate road will be tarred and twelve major bridges are being built.
§ Mr. OrbachWhile thanking the hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask him and his right hon. Friend if they will go ahead with roads and railways in Sierra Leone as rapidly as possible? They will be aware of the problem there. Roads and railways are worse there than in any other Colony or Protectorate the Commonwealth.