§ 2.35 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why the new loop of the Brighton Road round Gatwick Airport is not divided throughout into dual carriageways, and when the single carriageway portion is going to be turned into dual carriageways.]
§ THE MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO (LORD MANCROFT)My Lords, the Gatwick Airport By-pass replaces a length of road thirty feet wide, and the new road provides equivalent facilities for traffic. Two short lengths of dual carriageway were considered desirable in order to assist traffic movements at the airport entrance and to increase visibility at the south-east end where the road is on a curve of 1,100 feet radius. My right honourable friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation does not propose to turn the single carriageway portion into dual carriageway because this part of the present London—Brighton road will be eventually by-passed to the east by a new motor road which is planned to leave the L.C.C. area at Mitcham and rejoin the present London—Brighton road near Handcross.
LORD HAWKEMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his answer. Can be give me any idea when the new Brighton—London road is likely to be started?
§ LORD MANCROFTThe East Sussex and Surrey County Councils have been invited to prepare plans so that a draft scheme under Section 1 of the Special Roads Act, 1949, may be published, but I am afraid it must obviously be some considerable time before this road could be started, let alone completed.