§ Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Minister of Transport if he will give details of his present schemes for major road improvements and ring roads in and around Manchester; what work is being done on 130W these schemes at the present time; when he expects that they will be completed; and when further work will be started.
§ Mr. MarplesOn trunk road A.56 dual carriageways are being constructed between Sale and Stretford. This scheme should be completed in the late summer. There are also under construction the Stretford-Eccles By-pass, which is the first section of the Manchester Outer Ring Road and the widening of Corporation Street, Manchester. The Lancashire County Council expects to complete the former in July; the Manchester Corporation expects to complete the latter in the autumn.
Further trunk road proposals are under consideration. A line for the extension of the Princess Parkway is now being surveyed and we are investigating the possibility of reconstructing A.56 and A.6 on new alignments to the north of Manchester. It is too early to say when these schemes will be undertaken.