§ Lord SandysMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many new by-passes have been completed round towns and villages since May 1979 and how many more will be started in the current year.
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, since May 1979. 48 specific by-passes and diversions have been completed on trunk roads in Great Britain—34 in England, 9 in Scotland and 5 in Wales. A further 35 are either under construction now or will be by the end of this year—19 in England, 10 in Scotland and 6 in Wales. By-passes on other roads are the responsibility of local highway authorities.
§ Lord SandysMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that very encouraging Answer, may I ask him whether there is any information about a particular by-pass in the West Midlands, namely the Bewdley by-pass? May I also ask him whether there are further bv-passes in the road programme intended beyond 1985?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, in response to my noble friend's last supplementary question, there are 160 by-passes and diversions in the current road programme, the planning for which takes us up to the mid-1990s. Regarding the particular by-pass which was mentioned by my noble friend, he will appreciate that I do not have information on every one, but thinking that he might ask about this one, I can say that it is a local authority scheme—a matter for the Hereford and Worcester County Council—and we still have to receive that county council's transport policies and programme document for 1984–85. Therefore I am not able to tell him yet exactly what that county's plans are.
§ Lord UnderhillMy Lords, as the criterion for by-passes has been towns of at least 10,000 population, can the Minister say how many will not have been by-passed by the end of the 1980s? Can he also say whether any of the projected plans are likely to be affected by the proposed public expenditure cuts?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, about 161 or over 65 per cent, of historic towns situated on trunk roads will already have been by-passed. When the current construction programme is completed, all but 1246 a handful will have been relieved of most of their through traffic. As to the second question of the noble Lord, Lord Underhill, at this present time there is no plan to cut the road programme.
§ Lord Campbell of AllowayMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether the concept of the continuance of the M23 has now been abandoned, and if not, when would it be restarted?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, the M23 is not a by-pass and I very much regret that I am not able to give my noble friend that information; but I will certainly investigate and acquaint him with the answer.
§ Baroness Masham of IltonMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether the ancient City of Ripon is to have a by-pass? It has one of the oldest cathedrals in the country, the foundations of which are being shaken by the heavy traffic which comes thundering round Ripon, totally blocking it up and spoiling this lovely old city.
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, there are so many instances that I think the noble Baroness will excuse me if I say that I am not able to remember; nor, in a great long list of some 160, can I turn my eye to it at the moment. However, I will certainly see that she is given information about that.
§ Lord FerrierMy Lords, can the Minister say whether he knows whether the Secretary of State for Scotland has in mind the acceleration of the completion of the Edinburgh by-pass so that it can be finished before the Commonwealth Games in 1988?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, I very much regret to have to come to this Dispatch Box for the third time and say that I do not have the required information because it is just one of a great number; but I will certainly write to my noble friend.
§ Lord JacquesMy Lords, I notice that May 1979 is mentioned in the Question. I assume the noble Lord will agree that many of these by-passes were initiated by the previous Government?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, as the House will be well aware—and the noble Lord, Lord Jacques, perhaps even more so—road construction programmes are of a long duration and they embrace a number of administrations.
Viscount St. DavidsMy Lords, is it not time that we by-passed all these by-passes with a few brand-new cargo waterways? Also, although this may be a different question, would the noble Lord not agree that it ought not to be a different question?
§ Lord Lucas of ChilworthMy Lords, indeed I do agree with the noble Viscount, Lord St. Davids, that it is a different question. Perhaps I may refer him to an Unstarred Question with regard to the waterways which is to be discussed on Monday. We may perhaps find that we can proceed further down those waterways that evening.