HC Deb 07 December 1976 vol 922 cc143-4W
Mr. Dudley Smith

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, giving the estimated cost of each, those trunk road schemes which were added to the forward programme during the six months ended 30th September 1976.

Mr. Horam

The following schemes were added to the Firm Roads Programme in England during the six months ended 30th September 1976:

Estimated Works Cost (November 1975 prices)
£ million
A406 Hanger Lane-Western Avenue Junction Gyratory System 1.6
A40 Perivale Lane Junction Grade Separation 4.0
A17 Heckington Bypass and Improvement West to Kirkby-La-Thorpe, Lines 1.6
A405 A6 London Colney to Colney Heath, Herts 0.8

Mr. Tom McMillan

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the annual total expenditure on road construction and improvement by central and local government since 1959.

Mr. William Rodgers

Following is the available information for England, Scotland and Wales. All figures are at the prices prevailing at the time. Expenditure in real terms has risen much less steeply; for example, between 1970–71 and 1975–76 expenditure at constant (1975 survey) prices was estimated in Cmnd 6393 to have fallen by over £100 million.

Expenditure on Roads from Central and Local Authority Funds, Great Britain
Calendar Year £ million
1959 … … … … 79.2
1960 … … … … 81.7
1961 … … … … 98.9
1962 … … … … 118.4
Financial Year
1962–63 … … … 121.5
1963–64 … … … 159.5
1964–65 … … … 190.2
1965–66 … … … 191.8
1966–67 … … … 214.6
1967–68 … … … 312.5
1968–69 … … … 343.7
1969–70 … … … 401.3
1970–71 … … … 504.3
1971–72 … … … 504.4
1972–73 … … … 537.9
1973–74 … … … 628.5
1974–75 … (estimated) 673
1975–76 … (estimated) 798

Note. Figures before 1967–68 exclude minor improvements which in those years were included in maintenance expenditure. Separate expenditure figures for minor improvements are not available.

Mr. Tom McMillan

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the average proportion of total expenditure on road construction and improvements in the period since 1959 accounted for by profits made by contracting companies in road construction and improvements contracts signed by central and local government.

Mr. William Rodgers

This information is not available and cannot be obtained.