§ 20. Sir A. Hurdasked the Minister of Transport if the line of the Newbury north-south inner relief road has now been settled; and if, in view of the delay which has already occurred and the traffic congestion which is taking place in the town, he will treat the construction of this relief road as a matter of urgency.
§ Mr. HayWe have decided in principle upon a scheme for an inner relief road between St. John's Road and the London Road A.4. The Berkshire County Council, as our agents, is preparing detailed plans as a matter of urgency.
§ Sir A. HurdWhile thanking my hon. Friend for making this a matter of urgency, may I ask whether he can say whether construction of this inner relief road in Newbury, which is so urgently needed, will start next year? I ask this because there have been suggestions that it will be another three years before anything gets going. Will construction start next year?
§ Mr. HayI cannot say definitely whether it will start next year. We will fit the scheme into the programme as quickly as we can. Again, however, my hon. Friend should not be too pessimistic.