§ 11. Mr. Coombsasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway have been completed since 1979.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTwo hundred and sixty-five miles of new motorway have been completed in England since April 1979.
§ Mr. CoombsWill my hon. Friend tell the House what major new motorway schemes are now in preparation? In particular, will he say what progress is being made in research on the extra traffic in the M4 corridor between the M25 and London as a result of the opening of the M25 and the extra traffic now being siphoned off the M3 and M40 on to the M4 coming into west London?
§ Mr. BottomleyWe said that we would review the M25 a year after it was fully opened. Obviously, our major schemes will help the M40, the M20 and the Manchester outer ring road. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to open the southern turn of the junction of the M5 and M42 this Wednesday. It is important, to have not only motorways, but trunk roads and relief roads. Our increase of 30 per cent. in spending contrasts with the Labour Government, who cut new national road spending in half during their term of office.