HC Deb 14 July 1969 vol 787 c4
11. Mr. Raphael Tuck

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects the public inquiry on the North Orbital extension in Hertfordshire to take place.

Mr. Bob Brown

Later this year.

Mr. Raphael Tuck

Does my hon. Friend appreciate that this inquiry should have been held last September? Does this delay represent a possible change of heart on the part of the Government, or will my hon. Friend honour the pledge given to me by the late Mr. Stephen Swingler when he was Minister of State, namely, that there would be no shelving of the project and that the North Orbital extension would be built in any event, whatever happened to the 'D' ring road?

Mr. Brown

I thought that I had made this point quite clear the last time I answered a Question on the subject. The reason for the delay is that we have had to await completion of a traffic survey. This data is now being analysed and evaluated. I emphasise that there is nothing which indicates that we have departed from our intentions.