§ 17. Mr. A. Robertsasked the Minister of Transport the date when he anticipates the Yorkshire spur of the London to Yorkshire motorway will be completed.
§ Mr. HayIt is too early to say when this scheme can be ready or when it can be accommodated in the programme.
§ Mr. RobertsIs the hon. Gentleman aware that intelligent estimation suggests that it will be easily ten years before this road is completed? Does he not appreciate that it should be one of the five priorities mentioned by the Minister of Transport?
§ Mr. HayUnfortunately, this scheme dropped from being one of the five main projects some time ago owing to the difficulties of establishing a line, particularly through Leicestershire. The hon. Member should not, however, be too pessimistic. We hope to publish the draft scheme for the Sheffield-Leeds section early next year. If the scheme then gets a smooth passage and there are not too many objections, we should be able to speed up the whole thing considerably.
§ Mr. WadeIs the Minister aware that the West Riding of Yorkshire has already waited a number of years for this road? Can he give any definite assurance that 1018 it will be completed at least within ten years?
§ Mr. HayI always hesitate to give any dates in these matters, where so many preliminary processes still have to be gone through, but I should think it highly probable that we shall finish it within ten years.
§ Mr. JannerSurely, it is about time that the Government woke up in this matter. Is it not a fact that the Leicestershire portion should have been completed years ago in accordance with the scheme submitted by the Leicestershire County Council? Does not the hon. Gentleman think that he had better get on with that job straight away, so that the other part can also be dealt with?
§ Mr. JannerWhy the delay?
§ Mr. HayIt is being delayed principally because of the rooted objections of many off the hon. Member's constituents and other people in Leicestershire to the line that was originally proposed.