§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHMy 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 will give an assurance that the necessary bridge over the River Exe will be completed by, or before, the arrival of the M.5 to the east bank of the river.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, the construction of the bridge over the River Exe will form an integral part of the final length of the M.5 from Sandy Gate East of Exeter to Pearce's Hill near Exminster.
§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that somewhat encouraging reply. May I ask whether he is aware that for the past twenty years the seasonal traffic jam on the present Exeter by-pass has been a national sick joke and that with the arrival of the M.5, promised for 1975, 18 million people will be within a couple of hours' driving time of that part of the world? Is the noble Lord further aware that if the bridge or viaduct over the Exe is not completed in time, the narrow Topsham to Exeter by-pass road will not be able to cope? Will his Ministry be able to insert some really penal clauses in the contract to make the contractors finish on time?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I do not know whether we can insert penal clauses at this stage; the contract has been made. I think that the normal penalty clauses will en 1198 sure that the work is concluded on time. My advice is that there is no reason to expect any particular difficulty here. The extension of the M.5 from Sandy Gate will be connected by a spur on the A.38 Exeter by-pass, and my information is that in May of this year an extra bridge was put over that by-pass so that there are already two lanes going each way. We are pushing ahead as fast as we can.