§ 27. Mr. Berryasked the Minister of Transport when work will start on the parts of the M4 on which agreement by all the interested authorities as to the siting has been reached.
§ Mr. CarmichaelWe expect to start construction in 1969 on the whole of the 71-mile length between Tormarton and Winnersh for which the route has been fixed.
§ Mr. BerryCould the Minister not consider starting, in 1968 even, all of the road except the 6¼ miles he told me about last time, and would he not agree that the link up of the two halves of the M4 is of equal importance with the M1 and M6 link up, the two most important roads being built in this country at the present time?
§ Mr. CarmichaelYes, but we are now dealing with the side road orders and these orders have been published for the length at Tormarton and Winnersh, and objections may be forthcoming, and until these side road orders have been completely cleared it is impossible to start to complete the road.
Mr. Gresham CookeIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the town of Reading is almost completely blocked every 1529 day by the very heavy traffic to and from Wales and the South-West and London, and if so could not work be started on the road from Winnersh south of Reading to provide a by-pass at Reading for this heavy traffic?
§ Mr. CarmichaelThere are these difficulties, as I said to the hon. Member, of public inquiry and the side roads and the difficulties of getting authority to go through, but if there are increased difficulties in Reading because of the construction of these roads, and the delayed construction, special traffic arrangements will be made to try to get the traffic away from Reading.