§ 49 and 50. Mr. Hazellasked the Minister of Transport (1) what arrangements are proposed to permit a two-way flow of traffic at Wroxham Bridge to cope with the heavy tourist and other traffic;
§ (2) if he has now approved the building of a new bridge at Wroxham to replace the temporary Bailey bridge; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Bob BrownNorfolk County Council as the highway authority is replacing the present single-lane Bailey bridge with a temporary structure to allow two-way working. It expects to have this structure in use later this month.
As to the provision of a new permanent bridge, the County Council has yet to decide on a scheme. When it submits a scheme for grant, the question of putting it into the road programme will be considered.
§ Mr. HazellI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that information, but in view of the fact that one of the Bailey bridges is built near the existing hump bridge, thereby causing considerable traffic problems, will he do everything possible to stimulate Norfolk County Council to submit plans for a new bridge to replace the existing Bailey bridges?
Mr. BrownWhile I have sympathy with the point my hon. Friend makes, the county council, as the highway authority, must devise a scheme and submit it for grant, and as it has to find 25 per cent. of the cost, clearly it must decide the priorities itself.