§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD DERWENTMy lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the plans to ensure a free flow of traffic on trunk road A.55 through and around Conway after the construction of the new Conway Bridge.]
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, long-term plans for the relief of traffic on A.55 at Conway include a by-pass of the town of Conway, a by-pass of Llandudno junction and a bridge over the level crossing at Llandudno junction. All the schemes are expensive and are not in the programme or roads works already announced. In the meantime, it is proposed to carry out an improvement at the Bangor Road archway to permit two lanes of traffic.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, in thanking my noble friend for his full reply, may I ask him whether his right honourable friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation will take urgent action to get further plans completed and not allow them to be delayed by differences of opinion in the locality, as the bridge itself will be finished as early as 1957?
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, I presume that my noble friend is referring to the works at the archway. There is some difference on the question of antiquarian interest, in that the cheapest and easiest scheme to complete would involve the demolition of a bastion standing over the archway. My right honourable friend the Minister of Works is in consultation with the town council on this particular point, and when an agreement has been arrived at the work will go through as soon as possible.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, I understood the noble Lord, Lord Hawke, to say that a portion of the scheme, if not a great portion, is not in the present programme of road works. If I am right, could the noble Lord give us any idea when this bottleneck is really going to be ironed out?
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, the work at the archway will undoubtedly provide substantial relief, but the long-term plan involves two by-passes and a bridge—schemes running into seven figures of pounds, which are not of the highest priority compared with other schemes in the country. I am afraid it is impossible to say when they are likely to be carried out.