§ Mr. Coldrickasked the Minister of Transport if, now that steel is more plentiful, he will indicate the possibility of proceeding to build the Severn bridge.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe expense of this great project makes it impossible for me to forecast when it can be begun. The complete scheme for the crossing of the River Severn provides for the construction of a new road from the Bristol-Gloucester trunk road, A38, near Almondsbury, crossing the Rivers Severn and Wye at Beachley peninsula and joining the Newport-Gloucester trunk road, A48, near Crick. The cost is estimated at present at about £15¼ million; the Severn bridge itself52W will cost nearly £10 million. Before construction of the bridge can begin the Army Apprentices School at Beachley must be removed. This will cost about £750,000 and take at least three years. Even this operation has had to be indefinitely postponed in view of the current need for economy.