§ 10. Mr. Lewisasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will give an assurance that it is his policy to carry out road widening and rebuilding wherever this can be proved to be in the interests of road safety.
§ Mr. MolsonMy right hon. Friend could not give such an assurance without regard to cost or practicability, but he is fully seized of the importance of road improvements in the interests of road safety and has devoted to this purpose a substantial part of the limited funds available to him.
§ Sir W. Darlingasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the urgent and essential road works which must be completed in Scotland 32W before he can consider the authorisation of the construction of a Forth Road Bridge.
§ Mr. MolsonThe order in which schemes can be approved depends to some extent on the funds made available year by year for road works generally. But my right hon. Friend thinks that, apart from road improvements vital to the economic life of the Highlands and Islands, the construction of the White inch Tunnel, the improvement of the Glasgow—Stirling road and a number of other improvements should be given priority over the Forth Road Bridge.
§ Mr. Balfourasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the serious accidents which have occurred in the last six years on the Glasgow—Stirling road between Stepps and Dennyloanhead he will authorise the widening of this road to enable heavy vehicles to pass each other without risk and danger to other users of the road; and what steps are being taken to provide the necessary finance and labour needed to make this road suitable for the traffic that has to pass over it.
§ Mr. MolsonWe attach high priority to the widening of this road and my right hon. Friend hopes to proceed with the detailed preparation of a scheme at an early date. The cost will be at least £1 million and I cannot yet say when it will be possible to begin the constructional work.