§ Sir F. Markhamasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what are the methods by which a road, or part of a road, no longer required for traffic, can be sold; and how much land has been made available for building or other purposes during the past three years that was formerly dedicated to roads or verges.
§ Mr. WatkinsonPrivate roads, which are not highways, may be sold freely by their owners and if they are no longer required for use as roads the owner for the time being may use them for any other purpose. Roads which are highways over which the public have rights to pass cannot lawfully be sold either by highway authorities or by the owners of the adjoining land so as to defeat the rights of the public. Those public rights may only be extinguished under powers conferred by statute. If a highway is stopped up under a statutory power the general rule is that the land vests in the owners of the lands adjoining the highway but, if the sub-soil and the surface belong to the former highway authority, that authority may then dispose of the land. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.
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§ Sir F. Markhamasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what is the area of sterilised land adjoining the Bicester to Kidlington road; and what proposals are being considered for the return of some of this land for agricultural or building purposes.
§ Mr. Watkinson2.85 acres of land on road A.43 between Bicester and Kidlington are surplus to highway requirements. This land is in the process of being sold. Agreement on price has been reached with the purchaser and the matter is in the hands of solicitors for the preparation of the conveyance. A further plot of 6.15 acres was sold in December last.