§ "My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall now repeat a Statement being made in another place by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Wales on a second Severn crossing.
§ "In February 1984 my right honourable friend, the then Secretary of State for Transport, announced the Government's decision to proceed with a programme of strengthening and repair for the Severn crossing. That programme is well under way and proceeding well. At the same time my right honourable friend announced that he intended to initiate a study into the way in which a second crossing might be provided in the same general corridor as the existing crossing. Consultants were appointed later in the year and asked to report by August this year. I am glad to say that the consultants have completed their work ahead of time and copies of the report have today been placed in the Library of the House.
§ "My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Transport, and I have considered the consultants' findings and recommendations and have decided that a second Severn crossing should be provided. We propose that this new crossing should be a bridge sited at the English Stones, about three miles downstream of the existing crossing with connections to the M.4 on both banks and with an additional southerly link to the M.5. The new bridge would carry a dual two-lane motorway with hard shoulders. The consultants advise that it will be possible to provide windshielding on the bridge.
383§ "We are proceeding with the next stage of planning immediately. This is a major project and much work remains to be done and consultations set in hand. I am sure that the House will welcome this commitment to build a second crossing of the Severn on the main route into South Wales. I know that this decision will also be very widely welcomed in Wales. The Government have always recognised the vital importance of the Severn crossing to the economy of Severnside and South Wales. Our action in strengthening the existing crossing, and the commissioning of this report, its completion by the consultants within the timetable set and the decisions that I have announced today confirm our determination to ensure that the crossings are adequate for future traffic needs and underline our commitment to the future economic development of the Principality."
§ "My Lords, that concludes the Statement."