§ 3. Mr. Etherington:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to reduce road traffic congestion on Wearside.
§ The Minister for Roads and Traffic (Mr. Kenneth Carlisle)Apart from the Al9 west of Sunderland, which is not congested, the responsibility for roads on Wearside lies with the local highway authority, Sunderland city council.
§ Mr. EtheringtonI congratulate the Secretary of State on his new post, and wish him every success in it.
Does the Secretary of State accept that, although billions of pounds have been spent on motorways and bypasses, such measures have only a marginal effect on traffic in urban areas and, indeed, city centres? Does he agree that the way ahead lies in dedicated tramway systems and, possibly, in an extension of the Tyne and Wear metro system from Tyneside to Wearside?
§ Mr. CarlisleI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for over-promoting me, but I am sure that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State heard what he said and will be grateful for his good wishes.
As the hon. Gentleman will know, in July the city council will be able to present its bids for transport supplementary grant, and I shall of course pay careful attention to the bid from his local authority. It is worth pointing out, however, that last year we accepted the Doxford park access road into our scheme, and that it is one of five local schemes that we are now supporting.
§ Mr. ButcherCan I persuade my hon. Friend to increase spending in Wearside by approximately £10 million? That is the amount that he would save by abandoning the unwanted, unneeded bypass improvement schemes in Coventry, South-West. My constituents——
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman has been most ingenious, but he cannot get that one past me. I think that he has probably asked his question now.
§ Mr. ButcherI am anxious to help my colleague from Wearside, the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Etherington), on an all-party basis. I assure him that there is £10 million in the kitty, from my constituency to his—
§ Madam SpeakerThat is excellent, and I am sure that the Minister appreciates it.
§ Mr. CarlisleMy hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher) brought a delegation to my office. I do not expect ever again to receive a delegation in the House and to be asked not to spend money in an hon. Member's constituency.
§ Mr. BoyesIn view of the congestion in Wearside and other areas, will the Minister consider conducting an experiment to establish the relationship between a reduction in the speed limit from 30 mph to 20 mph and injury levels in defined dangerous areas?
§ Mr. CarlisleWe are considering whether we can extend the criteria under which local authorities will be able to make up their own minds about the speed limit that is suitable in their areas. I hope to make progress on that in the autumn.