§ 9. Mr. E. Rowlandsasked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on the study by consultants appointed by him on the alignment and programming of the Llantrisant radial road, Cardiff; what the specific terms of references for the consultant were; and when they were given.
§ Mr. George ThomasThe following terms of reference were agreed and given to the consultants in October, 1968:
To examine and report on the construction of a new trunk road between the Gabalfa Intersection and the north/south railway which runs between Rhydlafer Farm and Slanny Woods and in liason with Glamorgan County Council to indicate the westward continuation of the new road to the proposed M4 extension.The report is expected in the summer of 1969.
§ Mr. RowlandsWould my right hon. Friend say whether within the terms of reference the consultants are considering the alternative routes for this road, because it was assumed that the road line 699 given in the Buchanan proposals and the road line given in the Buchanan Report was firm? If that is not so, the alignment of the whole of the Cardiff road programme is affected and must be looked at again.
§ Mr. ThomasI fully understand my hon. Friend's anxiety and that of Cardiff people. The consultants are satisfying themselves that the line which they finally recommend is the best obtainable on engineering as well as planning grounds, and any departure from the findings in the Buchanan studies would be made only if there were very strong engineering grounds.