§ 9. Mr. Newtonasked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend trunk road status to local roads.
§ Mr. HoramI am circulating in the Official Report a list of the roads which I am proposing to trunk after further consultation with the local authorities concerned.
§ Mr. NewtonIs the Minister aware that there seems to be an essential need for the Minister to take a more active interest in the problems of the A414, the A130, the A131, and especially the Al20 in my constituency? If it is a long shopping list, that is due to the fact that we have a particularly difficult problem. Conditions are becoming quite intolerable for my constituents. If the Minister is not prepared to take over financial responsibility for some of these roads and the essential bypasses that are needed, will 738 he at least tell us definitely how much extra money will be made available to Essex in line with the new priorities in the White Paper?
§ Mr. HoramUnfortunately, the four roads which the hon. Gentleman mentioned are county roads and not, I believe, my roads. The roads on which I am concentrating in his area are the Al2 and the A45, which are important roads to Ipswich, Felixstowe and Harwich. We are making considerable improvements to those roads, as hon. Members recognise.
As regards the A120, I am afraid that it is the responsibility of the Essex county council, but it is making considerable improvements—for example, bypassing Coggeshall and Great Dunmow—and intends to provide a Braintree inner relief road. I think that that is quite considerable.
§ Mrs. Kellett-BowmanWill the Minister's right hon. Friend also recollect his continued responsibility for the provision of traffic lights on roads which he has detrunked, such as the A6 South running into Lancaster? Will he immediately authorise traffic lights at the Hala junction on this dangerous road without calling for yet more figures and waiting for developments on this road before further tragic accidents occur?
§ Mr. HoramThe hon. Lady was written to as late as last night on this very subject and I hope that she will be receiving—
§ Mrs. Kellett-BowmanA not very good reply.
§ Following is the information:
- A1/M1(M)—Tyne Tunnel approach roads.
- A69—Gateshead Western Bypass/Scotswood Bridge.
- A585—M55 to Fleetwood.
- M57—Liverpool Outer Ring Road.
- M53 (partly new route)—Ellesmere Port Motorway.
- M602 (new route)—M62 to Salford Docks.
- New route—Kingston upon Hull, extension of A63 to docks.
- A15—M180 to A63 (excluding Humber Bridge).
- A160—West of South Killingholme to Immingham.
- A1034—Market Weighton to Caves.
- A354—Dorchester-Weymouth to docks.
- A393/A39—Spur to Falmouth.
- A15—Lincoln to M180.
- A47—Soke Parkway/Paston Parkway, Peterborough.
- A420—Swindon to Oxford.
- A604—Colchester Eastern Bypass to Harwich.
- A249—M2 to Sheerness.
- A282—Dartford Tunnel approach roads.
- B2109—Spur to Newhaven.
§ Some of the proposals depend on the completion of schemes or other factors. Minor proposals are not included.