§ 21. Sir G. Nabarroasked the Minister of Transport having regard to recent surveys conducted at the road-over-railway bridge at Defford, Worcestershire, what further consideration he has now given to the 75 per cent. grant to the county highways authority for rebuilding the bridge, widening the road and approaches, and removing dangers to motorists and pedestrians over the bridge.
Mr. Bob BrownThe scheme which the county council has proposed is not considered to have sufficient priority at present. We are in touch with it about a possible interim scheme.
§ Sir G. NabarroWould the hon. Gentleman recognise that "sufficient priority" is a relative term and that I might be able to convince him during 1970–71 that this matter should be elevated and that the sum of money required, £140,000, should be allocated to the authority in the interests of the preservation of life in the future? Would he bear these words of wisdom carefully in mind?
Mr. BrownI do not think that anything the hon. Member says will elevate the scheme. What could elevate it is if the county council would see the wisdom of the proposal that we have put to it for an improvement involving a single carriageway bridge rather than a dual carriageway.