HC Deb 23 December 1964 vol 704 cc1213-5
15 and 16. Mr. Awdry

asked the Minister of Transport (1) when he intends to define the boundaries of the regions for his regional transport plans;

(2) what progress has been made with the preparation of the regional transport survey for the region in which the County of Wiltshire is situated.

18. Mr. Webster

asked the Minister of Transport what regional transport surveys he proposes to institute; and how long he expects the surveys to take.

20. Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to produce a regional transport plan for Eastern Scotland; whom he proposes to consult during the preparation of this plan; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Tom Fraser

The planning of transport in the regions will be part of the regional economic planning, the arrangements for which were announced by my right hon. Friend the First Secretary of State on 10th December. My Department will be taking a full part in the work of the regional planning boards. The boundaries for transport planning will be the same as for economic planning generally in so far as transport can be planned regionally. Whether more intensive studies may be needed in particular areas will be decided in the light of progress made by the Boards and my Department on transport problems generally.

Mr. Awdry

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us what body or organisation will carry out these transport surveys and when he thinks this task will be completed? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the Chippenham area the traffic situation will become a great deal worse when the Severn Bridge has been completed? Will he give us some assurance that he will accelerate the construction of the M4, which runs through my constituency?

Mr. Fraser

I have answered a number of Questions together and they raise very general issues. It is a bit much to ask me to extend the matter now in hand and speak about work on the M4. To go back to the general question raised earlier in the hon. Member's supplementary question, in the working out of economic plans in the regions it is of the utmost importance that transport considerations be taken fully into account. The making of a transport plan is essential to the making of an economic plan in a region, but it would be very foolish to endeavour to make a transport plan in isolation. We must, therefore, have these economic plans, with experts on transport taking a full part in their making.

Mr. Webster

Will there be any form of integration with a transport overlord having some say in this matter? How much integration will there be between each section in a regional plan and how far will this have central direction, perhaps from the Ministry of Transport?

Mr. Fraser

There is another Question later on this subject.

Mr. Bruce-Gardyne

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the First Secretary indicated that regional plans for eastern Scotland are unlikely to be ready before the middle of next year? Is the right hon. Gentleman now indicating that the whole question of possible railway closures in this area will not be decided until regional plans are published, in other words, that there will be a further six months of uncertainty?

Mr. Fraser

Not at all. It is my duty to consider each railway closure proposal as it comes forward after I have had a report from the T.U.C.C. and have consulted those of my right hon. Friends who inevitably have an interest in these matters. It is only where we decide, for example, that if effect is given to a closure it would prejudice the further consideration of the needs of that area that we would refuse to consent on those grounds. It might be that we would refuse to consent to closures on other grounds, and it might be that we would consent, but these things have to be looked at on their merits and I hope to do this without undue delay.

Mr. Galbraith

Does not what the right hon. Gentleman has said about railway closures mean that there is no change at all in policy for the closure of railways under this Government from what it was under the previous Government?

Mr. Fraser

I am hoping within a few days to issue a statement about the results of the examination which I have made of closure proposals since I took office. I am quite convinced that the hon. Gentleman will appreciate at once when he sees this statement that there is a very different result with a different Government in office.

Mr. William Hamilton

Do my right hon. Friend's answers to these questions imply that although the previous Government produced economic plans, for example for central Scotland, they did not formulate or begin to formulate regional transport plans to go along with those economic plans? Is that what my right hon. Friend means?

Mr. Fraser

I do not think that the previous Administration took this matter far enough. I do not think that they examined the transport requirements of regions when they considered economic plans. In any case, the hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galbraith) will shortly see the outcome of our considerations.