HC Deb 24 July 1968 vol 769 c556
39. Sir C. Osborne

asked the Minister of Transport in view of the fact that one of the newly constructed oil refineries in the Immingham area will soon be serving 400 tankers a day, up to 6,000 gallons each, and at the peak period over one tanker per minute, and that other new refineries will soon be in production, if he will now authorise the enlargement and strengthening of the main road to the Doncaster by-pass, and the bridge over the River Trent.

Mr. Bob Brown

Widening is in progress on lengths of the A.18 and A.160 and proposals for further widening on the A.18 and an extension of the M.18 are included in the forward programme. Other proposals for this route, including a new bridge over the Trent, are contained in the trunk road preparation pool.

Sir C. Osborne

In view of the fact that another great refinery will soon be coming into operation and that Immingham is likely to become a second Rotterdam, will he not give very high priority to a trunk road leading to Doncaster so that the oil traffic can get to the Midlands?

Mr. Bob Brown

The length of the trunk road between Thome and Scun-thorpe will be substantially improved by proposals announced in the second instalment of the trunk road preparation pool in April this year. One of these includes provision of a new bridge over the Trent at Keadby and the alternative of the present rail-road bridge which has recently been strengthened and resurfaced. This is as far as we can go at this time.

Mr. George Jeger

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind the great need for improvement of all road and rail links in Humberside and that the overwhelming priority must be given to the Thorne canal bridge and Thorne by-pass?

Mr. Brown

I believe there is another Question on the Paper on the Thorne by-pass section which is scheduled to start in 1970.