HC Deb 20 February 1963 vol 672 cc437-8
28. Miss Herbison

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when work will begin on the construction of an overhead bridge for pedestrians at Moodiesburn, Chryston.

Mr. Leburn

The hon. Lady wrote to my right hon. Friend about this proposal at the end of January, and it is being examined urgently. He hopes to be able to reply to her letter in a few weeks time.

Miss Herbison

Is not the Under-Secretary aware that the Lanarkshire County Council took this matter up with the Secretary of State some time before I did? What is hindering the Secretary of State from making a decision on such a simple matter? Is it, as he told the Lanarkshire County Council, that he wanted to know how effective the bridge was in Salsburgh? If that is the case, is he not aware that that bridge has been a very great help? Does he intend to wait until more and more pedestrians are killed on this busy Glasgow—Stirling road before this bridge is erected?

Mr. Leburn

No. My right hon. Friend is certainly not waiting to see the effect of the bridge at Salsburgh. The usefulness of that bridge is admitted. There is a great difference between the one at Salsburgh and the one under discussion here and our engineers are going into that matter. I assure the hon. Lady that they are doing so urgently. We really must look at the question of this pedestrian crossing and the use that would be made of it before we go ahead.