HC Deb 22 May 1972 vol 837 cc979-81
16. Mr. Rowlands

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will give the estimated completion dates for each of the remaining stages of the Cardiff to Merthyr trunk road.

Gibson-Watt

Work should be completed on the Nantgarw-Glyntaff section in December, 1972, and on the length from Glyntaff to Abercynon by the end of 1973. It is too early yet to forecast completion dates for the remaining stages.

Rowlands

his road, by agreement on all sides, is one of the most important key main routes in the economy of South Wales, particularly in the industrial valleys I represent, will the hon. Gentleman consider speeding up the construction of the remaining stages by startting from the Heads of the Valleys down so that the road may be completed all in one piece rather than piece by piece? I think there would be agreement on both sides of the House to the hon. Gentleman at least giving consideration to speeding up the construction of the road in this way.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

I fully understand and share the concern of the hon. Gentleman that this road should be finished as soon as possible, but I assure him that it is much more likely to be finished quickly if the present plans and phasing decided by the engineers in conjunction with the Welsh Office are carried through in their proper order. Because of the geology the road is bound to be a difficult one to construct, but I assure the hon. Gentleman that the Welsh Office is pushing ahead with all possible speed.

Mr. Kinnock

Will the Minister reconsider that answer in view of the importance of such a road to the Heads of the Valleys communities generally? Will he not agree that to start from the north of the valley would not necessarily inhibit work coming from the south and, if the two sections of the road happened not to meet, as a constituent in Merthyr pointed out we should have two roads?

Mr. Gibson-Watt

The hon. Gentleman seems to make it very easy. I assure him that there is no lack of will to complete the road. When his hon. Friend the Member for Merthyr Tydvil (Mr. Rowlands) comes with representatives from Merthyr to see my right hon. and learned Friend about this, no doubt there will be further talks.