§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether, in view of the steadily worsening traffic conditions along the Rochester Way section of the A2, he will agree to meet representatives of the Greater London Council and the London borough of Greenwich Council to discuss the prospects for the Rochester Way relief road;
(2) what representations he has recently received from the Greater London Council and the London borough of Greenwich Council about the proposed Rochester Way relief road; and what has been his response.
§ Mr. MarksThe construction of the Rochester Way relief road is a matter for the GLC. The Chairman of the South Area Board of the Greater London Council asked my hon. Friend the Minister for Transport to meet members 359W of her council and the Greenwich Borough Council to discuss the possibility of a relaxation of financial restrictions to enable the road to be constructed at the earliest possible date. I have told her that the purpose of the transport supplementary grant arrangements is to give local authorities like the GLC the freedom and responsibility to work out their own priorities for road and other transport expenditure which is eligible for grant. As I see it, and as I said, no particular purpose would be served by my meeting representatives of the councils.