HC Deb 05 April 1978 vol 947 cc426-8
15. Mr. Costain

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had from councils on the question of road maintenance.

Mr. Horam

Thirty-six county councils expressed concern about road maintenance in their transport policies and programmes last year. Five other councils have written on the subject this year.

Mr. Costain

Does the hon. Gentleman appreciate that experienced road engineers are getting extremely worried about the lack of maintenance? Potholes are causing accidents, and the lack of tar coating is causing the weather to penetrate below the tarmacadam, which will lead to the break-up of roads in a frosty winter. Before his hon. Friends say "More expenditure", does he appreciate that we are saving money only to cause more money to be spent at a later date?

Mr. Horam

In response to an earlier question on the subject of maintenance, from the hon. Member for Somerset, North (Mr. Dean), I mentioned our concern. I share the hon. Gentleman's feelings. We have started with the national road maintenance survey of 1976, the first results of which we communicated to county surveyors. We shall shortly make available to them the results of the second year of the survey, namely, 1977. That process will establish the objective criteria against which we can measure any decline that there may have been in the condition of the roads.

Mr. Molloy

Will my hon. Friend be prepared to consider giving some assistance to local authorities, such as the London borough of Ealing, in whose area there is taking place a massive road reconstruction operation, running right through Perivale, Greenford and Northolt, involving the GLC? The problem that the local authorities face is maintaining safety devices to enable people to cross the main thoroughfare during the reconstruction. Will my hon. Friend consider how much help he can give both to the GLC and the London Borough of Ealing?

Mr. Horam

I shall certainly consider the point made by my hon. Friend. He has written to me often about the conditions in his borough and constituency, which at present are severe. I take his point on board.

Mr. John Page

On road maintenance, has the hon. Gentleman noticed that on minor roads there are large machines that lay levels of a sort of thick black Swiss roll, which go nearer and nearer to the verges, resulting in a reduction of the camber and, therefore, a great amount of standing water at the sides? Has he had any representations from local authorities? Has he had his own clean car splashed?

Mr. Horam

That was a very individual contribution to the whole debate on road maintenance. However, I think that it is a worthwhile contribution and I shall have it examined. The stuff that is put on the roads in the way described by the hon. Gentleman is called blacktop.

Mr. Madden

Will my hon. Friend say why his Department has persuaded the West Yorkshire County Council to undertake the second and third stages of a traffic experiment in a most attractive village in my constituency, especially as the local residents and myself are entirely satisfied with the effects of the first stage? We believe that the resources that are being spent on these stages could much more usefully be spent on road maintenance in the area.

Mr. Horam

I am surprised to hear that we have been able to persuade the West Yorkshire County Council of anything. It is an especially independent-minded local authority. I shall look into the question that my hon. Friend raises.

Mr. Fry

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will now take on board the widespread concern on this issue on both sides of the House. May we hope that he appreciates that money will have to be made available fairly shortly to save tremendous expense in future? Will he bear in mind that it is sensible expenditure and that good road maintenance reduces accidents and saves money? May we have an assurance that the Government are considering carefully future levels of transport supplementary grant to ensure that adequate sums are available to keep our roads in a well-maintained condition?

Mr. Horam

There has been a decline in spending on road maintenance over the past three or four years as a result of the general restraint on public expenditure. However, that decline has now stopped and the amount of money coming forward each year is roughly level. That indicates the priority that the Government attach to a considered and well-maintained road system.

Mr. Penhaligon

Does the Minister's Department believe that the representations made about road maintenance are valid?

Mr. Horam

Some are and some are not. I could not vouch for the problem in Cornwall or in Devon, but I think that there is, generally, a great deal in what county surveyors say about the problems of road maintenance, and I would accept quite a lot of it. As I said, what we need is more objective evidence, and then we can put these matters to the full test.

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