§ 2.38 p.m.
LORD INGLEWOODMy 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 what is (a) the approximate total expenditure by the Central Government and the County Council since January 1, 1963, on work on the A.66 between Workington and the junction with the M.6 motorway; and (b) what is the estimated approximate total cost of the remaining work on this road including work to bypass Cockermouth and Keswick in order to complete the Department of the Environment's plans to develop the road for heavy traffic at high speeds; and (c) what mileage through the National Park do they propose shall be dual-carriageway.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT (LORD SANDFORD)My Lords, the total expenditure since 1963 on schemes costing more than £100,000 each has been about £1.9 million. Present estimates put the cost of the comprehensive programme of improvements announced in 1969 to provide a good quality road with at least a 24-foot single carriageway at £11.6 million. The total length of road within the National Park which is to be improved is 13.6 miles; and of that distance, 4.25 miles will be dual-carriageway.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, in thanking my noble friend for that reply, may I ask him to confirm, as I did not hear the first figure, that it was £.1.9 million.
§ LORD SANDFORDYes, my Lords; that is correct.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, secondly, can my noble friend confirm that it does include the cost of the Keswick bypass?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, the first part of my Answer refers to the first part of the noble Lord's Question, which relates to the expenditure so far. The second part of his Question relates to the estimates for the whole programme 485 of improvements, which includes the Keswick bypass.
VISCOUNT ROCHDALEMy Lords, can my noble friend say whether or to what extent any of the projects which have already been carried out and are included in the first part of my noble friend's Answer will be proved to be redundant and a waste of money if the projects referred to in the second part of the Question are in fact carried out?
§ LORD SANDFORDMy Lords, I am afraid that I cannot, off the cuff, give the noble Viscount the answer to that question, but I will certainly write and let him know.