§ 50. Captain Pilkingtonasked the Minister of Transport, in view of the importance of adequate communications between London and the conurbation of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, what major improvements he intends to carry out in 1960 on the roads between them.
§ Mr. HayApart from the Staines Bypass which is now under construction, we are planning to spend £100,000 in 1960 on the construction of l¾ miles of dual carriageway on A.30 in Hampshire, and £24,000 on the improvement of the junction of A.30 with A.325. Considerable lengths of carriageway in Surrey will be widened from 30 ft. to 33 ft. in the course of resurfacing.
§ Captain PilkingtonWhile thanking my hon. Friend for that Answer, which is satisfactory as far as it goes, may I ask him to remember that congestion on these roads is very bad? Will he consider concentrating not so much on widening roads as on duplicating them with dual carriageways?
§ Mr. EdenWill my hon. Friend bear in mind that, particularly in the Bournemouth-Poole-Christchurch area, where the population is increasing, what might be all right to satisfy demand at present certainly will not be all right to satisfy demand when the present programme has been completed? Therefore, will he be still further adventurous?
§ Mr. HayThe trouble is that the car population is increasing throughout the country. Everyone wants more cars and new roads as quickly as they can get them and we have to fit what we can do into our programme.