§ 42. Mr. Russellasked the Minister of Transport how long the actual construction of the Chiswick flyover, the Hanger Lane underpass, and the Ace of Spades underpass on the Kingston by-pass took, respectively; and how long he anticipates the Hammersmith flyover will have taken to construct when it is completed.
§ Mr. MarplesThe Chiswick flyover took two years ten months to complete, the tunnels of Hanger Lane underpass were completed in two years four months, and the Hook Road underpass was completed in one year nine months. I expect that 1326 the Hammersmith flyover will be completed one year ten months after the start of the work.
§ Mr. RussellAre not these times much longer than the times taken to build underpasses and so on in many other countries, particularly in places like Brussels and Paris? Cannot something be done to speed things up?
§ Mr. MarplesIt is really not possible to compare these jobs with each other or with jobs abroad. Civil engineering contracts always depend upon the nature of the soil and the nature of the work, and it is not an easy comparison to make.