North-West Bristol

HC Deb 25 January 1967 vol 739 cc1473-4

8. Mr. Ellis

asked the Minister of Transport what action she is taking to overcome the overloading of local roads throughout the whole of the north-west area of Bristol, in particular in Henbury, which is causing danger to people who live in the area and has been aggravated by the opening of the Severn Bridge.

Mr. Swingler

Work is planned to start next month on the extension of M5 southwards from Cribbs Causeway to the Portway, near Avonmouth. When open this will remove a lot of traffic at present using roads in north-west Bristol.

The north-western part of the Henbury By-pass, a local authority scheme, is now under construction.

Mr. Ellis

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply, but is he aware that in this area there will be congestion until the whole of the motorway is finished? When will phase one start? What is the target date for the whole section?

Mr. Swingler

If my hon. Friend is referring to the Henbury by-pass, we recognise that there is a difficult situation there until the extension of the motorway goes past Bristol. This is a local authority scheme within the power of Bristol City to decide. By the middle of next year, part one should have been completed and it will then be for Bristol to decide how soon to start the second part of the Henbury by-pass.