§ LORD CLITHEROEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any statement to make with regard to the danger to life involved in the single carriageway on the new Clitheroe-Whalley by-pass.]
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE, R.A.F. LORD WINTER-BOTTOM)My Lords, the increased capacity provided by the new single-carriageway bypass will much reduce the hazards on the existing trunk road, A.59, through Whalley and Clitheroe.
§ LORD CLITHEROEMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware of the great anxiety of the Chief Constable and of the Lancashire County Council about the hazards that will be involved in building this single carriageway, which will inevitably lead to head-on crashes and the impossibility of ambulances and fire engines getting to the crashes? Is he also aware that the added cost of doing this work, which the noble Lord told me would in any case have to be done in due course, will be very much greater when once the contractors have removed from the present site? Have all those matters been taken into consideration? Finally, may I beg the noble Lord to reconsider this decision, which will lead to great loss of life?
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, since I replied to the noble Lord on an earlier occasion there has in fact been a development which he may well have noted; namely, that my right honourable friend in another place has announced the 216 plans for the Calder Valley. When these plans, which were announced yesterday, are carried into effect a large proportion of the traffic now travelling on the A.59 will be diverted elsewhere. The fact that Whalley and Clitheroe are bypassed, and the fact that the Calder Valley is going to take a lot of traffic away from this area, will I think reduce the risks of accidents and damage here.
§ LORD CLITHEROEMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, under the very best possible conditions, this new Calder Valley road cannot possibly be there for four or five years, during which time these terrible accidents are bound to happen and it will be the Government who are responsible?
§ LORD WINTERBOTTOMNo, my Lords; the Government are not responsible. The responsibility must lie with the individual driver, who must drive with care.