§ 12. Mr. Luceasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the recent reduction in public expenditure will have on the timetable for the construction of bypasses of villages in West Sussex.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Keith Speed)The reductions in public expenditure in 197475 will not affect the schemes I think my hon. Friend has in mind.
§ Mr. LuceI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reassurance. Does he realise that for the many residents in my constituency who live in villages and towns life is absolutely intolerable, because they have to suffer from the steady through-flow of traffic, and particularly heavy lorries? Will he make certain that the Government speed up the availability of finance, particularly for those areas committed to bypasses under the principal road preparation list?
§ Mr. SpeedYes, but not all these principal road schemes are yet in the firm road programme, so it is too early to give any firm financial forecast.
§ Sir R. CaryMay I remind my hon. Friend of the needs of some of the villages in the entry to Dover, which have just suffered three ghastly accidents as a result of careering juggernaut lorries?
§ Mr. SpeedIndeed. My hon. Friend will be pleased to see that none of the A2 schemes has been held up by the cutbacks. We are expecting the results of public inquiries on two or three of these important schemes in the very near future.