§ 9. Sir A. Meyerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to assume responsibility for all road construction and repair including secondary roads which are at present the responsibility of county councils.
§ Mr. MulleyNo, Sir.
§ Sir A. MeyerIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the stringent priorities which the economic situation compel for the national road programme are applied also to the maintenance and improvement of secondary roads? Is he aware that there are many instances where men, materials and money for road building are being applied to relatively minor roads when they might much more usefully be applied to long overdue major road programmes, such as the A55 running through my constituency?
§ Mr. MulleyCentral responsibility for the maintenance of all roads would not necessarily lead to more money being made available. If, as the hon. Gentleman argues, the central Government were responsible for the maintenance of the 210,000 miles of roads in the country, that would be contrary to the generally accepted proposition that local authorities should have more powers of decision in transport matters, which differ so markedly from one area to another.
§ Mr. MacFarquharIs my right hon. Friend aware that where he is responsible for road construction he also has a duty to maintain the existing network of footpaths? Is he further aware that in my constituency there is grave disquiet about the effect of the Ripley bypass project on local footpaths? Will he undertake to investigate speedily the cogent arguments put forward on this subject by my constituent, Mr. Turner?
§ Mr. MulleyI confess that I do not have with me a clear indication of my hon. Friend's constituent's views, but I will refresh my memory on the matter and write to my hon. Friend.