HC Deb 27 January 1960 vol 616 c158
20. Mr. Channon

asked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has to shorten the delays to travellers by car to the east coast caused by traffic congestion in eastern London.

Mr. Marples

Several schemes have been authorised or are being prepared to improve the flow of traffic on the eastern part of the North Circular Road and on the trunk roads to Great Yarmouth and Tilbury. Local highway authorities are carrying out certain schemes on classified roads with the help of Government grants, and I am considering others for the programme. With permission I will circulate a list in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Of course, improvements can also be achieved by traffic regulation and they are receiving my close attention. A number of experiments are in progress.

Mr. Channon

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply and welcoming the improvements and the suggestions he has made, may I draw his attention to the fact that the East Coast has both some of the worst road difficulties, because the way out from London is so very bad, and also some of the worst railways? May I suggest that the East Coast should have a fair share of road improvements?

Mr. Marples

I can assure my hon. Friend that the East Coast is receiving its fair share and that if he asked the people in the West or the South-West they, too, would say that they think their areas are the worst off.

Mr. Manuel

And Scotland.

Following is the list:

North Circular Road, A.406 1. Reconstruction of Angel Road bridge, Edmonton, and provision of dual carriageways for¼ mile. Work will start at the beginning of February, 1960. 2. Widening to provide dual carriageways from Bowes Road to Great North Way for four miles. The scheme will be included in the programme as soon as possible. 3. Construction of dual carriageways for ½mile in a new alignment at Silver Street. The scheme will be included in the programme as soon as possible. London-Tilbury Trunk Road, A.13 4 Widening of Ripple Road,Barking, to provide a second carriageway for 1¾ miles. The work is expected to start in summer, 1960. 5. Widening of New Road, Rainham, to provide a second carriageway for 1¼ miles. Work is expected to start in summer, 1960. London-Great Yarmouth Trunk Road, A.12 6. Enlargement of Whalebone Lane roundabout and construction of two pedestrian subways are now in progress at a cost of £70,000. Black wall Tunnel 7. The London County Council hope to complete work in summer, 1960, on the new northern approach, which will be carried below East India Dock Road by an underpass. 8. The London County Council hopes to start work on the duplication of the tunnel soon and to complete it in 1965. Essential preliminary work has already begun. Dartford-Purfleet Tunnel 9. When completed in 1962 the tunnel is expected to attract a considerable amount of traffic from the river crossings in eastern London. London-Norwich Road, A.11 10. Stratford High Street has been widened to provide dual carriageways, and the West Ham County Borough Council is arranging for the widening of the bridge over the railway. Gardiner's Corner, A.11/A.124 11. The London County Council has been invited to submit for consideration a scheme to improve the intersection of Aldgate High Street, Commercial Street, Whitechapel Road, Commercial Road East and Leman Street.