§ 22. Captain Pilkingtonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation when the route for a future road from London to Dover-Folkestone was surveyed, decided on, and protected from encroachment.
§ Mr. WatkinsonProposals for the Medway Towns motor road were first considered and the route surveyed before the last war. Since the war further survey work has been carried out in connection with the revisions of the route. I shall advertise a draft scheme under the Special Roads Act, 1949, next week and when this scheme has been made the route will be fixed and protected from encroachment. It is at present being protected at my request by the Kent County Council under its general planning powers.
§ Captain PilkingtonCan my right hon. Friend assure the House that, wherever it is obvious that a main road or trunk road is likely ultimately to be built, safeguard from encroachment is already in existence in order to economise on future spending?
§ Mr. WatkinsonIt is a very difficult problem. I am very worried about problem sterilising property when the road is not to be built for a considerable time in the future. We are examining the whole problem, and subject to that I certainly agree that my hon. Friend is quite right. We are trying to follow that procedure.
§ Mr. BottomleyMay I inform the Minister that my constituents are glad that the Minister has decided at last that the road should go ahead, and I hope that nothing will be done to hold up this procedure?