§ 6. Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the road construction programme on the south bank of the Humber.
§ Mr. HoramOf the 28 miles of the M180 South Humberside motorway, 12 are already open to traffic and a further 11, comprising the Scunthorpe southern bypass and the M181 link, will be opened on 15th December. We hope that the remaining five miles, which include the Trent bridge, will be opened next summer. Proposals to provide a new all-purpose trunk road between the eastern end of the M180 and Grimsby will be the subject of a public inquiry next month.
§ Mr. BrothertonIs the Minister aware of the grave concern on the south bank of the Humber about the lack of progress in building our road, particularly to the port of Immingham? Immingham is the fifth largest port in the United Kingdom. It is larger than Hull and Liverpool combined. We welcome the decision that the two-tier system is to be allowed on the Brigg-Scunthorpe to Grimsby road, but it is vital that the spur road to Immingham is built.
§ Mr. HoramProposals for the Immingham link road will be considered at next month's public inquiry, so we are making excellent progress. More roads are being built now on Humberside than in any other part of the country. I am not sure that that would have happened under a Conservative Government, bearing in 419 mind their attitude towards public expenditure.