§ 20. Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Minister of Transport when the Great Barr interchange on the M6 will open; and when the full dualing and flyover schemes between this interchange and the Birmingham city centre on the A34 will be completed.
Mr. Bob BrownThe Great Barr interchange and the dualing of A34 from the interchange to Birmingham City boundary should be completed by mid 1970. Responsibility for the improvement of A34 from the city boundary to the city centre rests with the local highway authority. Much work on the provision of dual carriageways and of grade separation has either been completed already or will be completed during 1970; the remainder, apart from a length of mile from Newton Row to Lancaster Place, is programmed but is unlikely to be ready before late 1971.
§ Mr. PriceDoes not my hon. Friend realise that this road is already one of the worst congested in Birmingham at peak hours? When the whole of the south-hound traffic of the M6 is poured into it, this will make it particularly difficult. What is he doing to close the 18-month gap between the plans for the A34 and the M6 which he has now revealed?
Mr. BrownWe are proposing to absorb traffic off the M6 into Birmingham without an intolerable over-load on the A34 by three means. First, traffic for the north-west, west and south-west of Birmingham will be diverted at Ray Hall junction to convenient exits on the M5. Secondly, if the need is demonstrated, traffic for the city centre could be temporarily diverted via M5 and A41 to avoid congestion on the A34. Thirdly, further relief will be afforded about mid-1971 when the Gravelly Hill interchange and part of the Aston expressway are open to traffic.