HC Deb 27 October 1982 vol 29 cc1030-1
11. Mr. Hicks

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied with the current progress being made in the construction of major road improvements in Cornwall and Devon; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Chalker

We are making good progress with most of the existing major trunk road improvement schemes in Cornwall and Devon and are keeping to the programme published in "Policy for Roads; England 1981" Cmnd. 8496.

Mr. Hicks

Does my hon. Friend agree that increased capital investment in roads need not be inflationary, does not lead to increased import penetration and does much to restore the level of economic activity in depressed areas? Is she aware that in Devon and Cornwall there is bitter disappointment that the impetus of the road building programme in the early 1970s has not been continued and that this belated flurry of proposals contained in White Papers and the like is no real substitute for plant hire and tarmac on the ground?

Mrs. Chalker

I am well aware of the concern of my hon. Friends and other hon. Members in the South-West that the area should have better roads. With regard to my hon. Friend's constituency, last December we announced the revised preferred route for the Saltash bypass, about which he has been concerned, and we are getting on with that project and shall be publishing the draft orders early next year.

Aside from that, many other schemes are proceeding well. We shall give the local authorities all the encouragement that we can to get on with the schemes that they are bringing forward. A further 19 major schemes in Devon and Cornwall, at an estimated cost of £176 million, are at present in preparation and they will start in the next four years or so. I therefore believe that we are doing as much as we possibly can, given that we still have restricted finances.

Mr. Neale

I thank my hon. Friend for taking account of the various views and comments on road improvements of the representative groups in the West Country. Will she confirm that she is now investigating the potential economic gain to the county of Cornwall of ensuring that any improvement to the A30 west of Whiddon Down should be dual carriageway rather than a single track road?

Mrs. Chalker

My hon. Friend knows that many areas of the country experience a great traffic upsurge at certain times of the year. Where a dual carriageway can be justified we shall, of course, go ahead and build it. However, my priority must be to get the roads established that will bypass villages, to get rid of the traffic from which they should not be suffering. We now seek to design single carriageway roads so that where there may be a need for a second track in future years such a road can be extended when the demand exists.

Several Hon. Members

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. This question relates to Cornwall and Devon. Mr. Leslie Spriggs.

Mr. Spriggs

In view of your remarks, Mr. Speaker, I have been eliminated.

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