§ 2.45 p.m.
§ 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 can give an assurance that the recently announced cuts in capital expenditure will not apply to roads in the far South-West, which for so long has played the role of Cinderella in this respect.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is examining the relative priority of schemes. It is too early to say which individual schemes will need to be deferred. All existing contracts will be continued.
LORD CLIFFORD OE CHUDLEIGHMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that Answer. May I ask him two supplementary questions on two phases of this problem? The first concerns what I might call the main roads. Does the Minister realise that since the French juggernauts from the Roscoff-Plymouth link are now competing with caravans, tankers and other long vehicles on the designated direct route to London the ordinary citizen cannot now move on 103 this, the longest traffic lane in England? Secondly, so far as internal revenue is concerned, does he realise that in Devon we had a 15 per cent. cut in 1968–1970; that just as we were about to catch up on that cut we got floods plus depreciation, and that now, from the point of view of farming, this further threat will mean that our "bread and butter" roads are also doubly hit?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, with regard to the noble Lord's point about heavy vehicles using the roads from the West Country to the capital, my right honourable friend obviously has a major concern that the strategic trunk road network of this country, which is being built up to a good standard, is given priority; and it is highly unlikely that major elements of the network will be affected by these cuts. With regard to his point about the 15 per cent. cut in 1968–1970, I should like to remind the noble Lord that the Government for which I speak were not then in power. I do not think that he need worry about the expenditure going on in the West Country. We are planning many things, my Lords. Already in the Devonshire-Cornwall area we have £46 million worth of major schemes for trunk roads and £37 million worth firmly programmed after that.
§ LORD CLIFFORD OF CHUDLEIGHMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. May I ask him two further questions? Can he tell me what has happened to the Wylye by-pass which his noble friend Lord Gowrie promised me last year; and if it comes to that, what about Wincanton, Ilminster and Ilchester? Secondly, does he realise that there were four deaths this last week-end on the A.380, three within half a mile of the entrance to my home, which would not have happened if the postponed duplication had been completed? I am wondering whether this matter is to be postponed even further.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I am not quite certain whether the noble Lord's second question refers to the Chudleigh by-pass. I looked that up and it is under contract. On the other point about the Wylye by-pass, knowing the interest of the noble Lord in this subject I checked on the A.303, 104 which, although not in the South-West, is on the main route to it. The noble Lord mentioned Wincanton and Wylye—and I would add Mere also—in relation to the A.303. I think it very unlikely that my right honourable friend would consider it suitable to impose cuts in these areas.
§ LORD SLATERMy Lords, can the Minister state the policy of the Government with regard to second-class roads leading to major roads and motorways? What consideration is given to the provision of facilities such as have been in existence for hundreds of years, but which are being taken from pedestrians? Footpaths which were in use over a long period of time have ceased to exist because of the road improvements that are taking place. What is the Government policy with regard to seeking to retain such facilities for the pedestrian?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I must tell the noble Lord, Lord Slater, that although I appreciate his interest in the subject it is a little wide of the Question. The cuts in the road programme are very small, something in the nature of one in ten or less, and everything will be looked at on its merits.