HC Deb 21 June 1978 vol 952 cc444-5
4. Mr. Welsh

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures to show the volume of traffic on the A92 Dundee to Arbroath road; what was the date of this survey; and when he intends to institute a more up-to-date traffic survey on the road.

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Frank N1cElhone)

A total of 7,475 vehicles per day in May of this year, of which 13 per cent. were heavy goods vehicles. A further count will be taken in August.

Mr. Welsh

Is the Minister aware that local surveys have shown that his wrongheaded policy of detrunking the Dundee to Arbroath road will create massive problems for local road users and will mean that while the Government are grabbing the oil revenues, they are forcing their financial commitments on to the shoulders of local government? Can he now give a positive starting date for the Forfar by-pass, on the inland route which he prefers?

Mr. McElhone

That is not a fair description of the position. The hon. Gentleman must know that a public inquiry was held last year, when the reporter recommended that the inland route should be the trunk route and that the coastal route should be detrunked, though it will remain a trunk route until 1st April 1979. That is a fair compromise.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

Leaving aside the trunk route choice considerations, may I point out that the oil industry, particularly in Montrose, is generating an enormous amount of traffic on this route, which led the reporter to describe the situation in Montrose as intolerable? Can the Minister give an assurance that in relation to developments on the coastal route, money will be available from oil-related funds to help meet the traffic problem that is being created by oil?

Mr. McElhone

Expenditure on roads in Scotland in 1976–77 was £192 million. That is not an inconsiderable sum. As for the position of Montrose, the hon. Gentleman has met my noble Friend who deals with this matter on a day-to-day basis, and a letter was sent to the local authorities concerned on 30th March indicating that consideration would be given to oil-related expenditure.