HC Deb 21 March 1994 vol 240 cc10-1
12. Dr. Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the lower Thames crossing study.

Mr. Key

Consultants were appointed in May 1992 for a two-year study of the need for, and feasibility of, a lower Thames crossing downstream of Dartford. They are making good progress and their final report is expected this summer.

Dr. Spink

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that reply. The A130 Canvey Island link dualling and the Saddlers Farm roundabout improvements form part of the lower Thames crossing consideration. Is my hon. Friend aware that the Lib-Lab pact in Essex county council has recently suspended all design work on those two important schemes? Is not that shameful?

Mr. Key

I am surprised in one sense because I know that the A130 was a contender for transport supplementary grant. That means that it will not be available later. On the other hand, I am not surprised because I happen to have two newspaper headlines from different ends of the country, one of which refers to the Liberals describing a bypass as an "environmental obscenity" and the other which states: Liberals back call for a motorway. There we are.