§ Mr. Jim Spicerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he made of the total cost of laybys on trunk roads on the basis of the direction of his Department that a layby should be installed each side of the road every two miles.
§ Mr. HoramI have been asked to reply.
The Department's booklet "Layout of Roads in Rural Areas", published in 1968, recommended that on three-lane and dual carriageway roads laybys of about 100 metres in length should be provided on each side of the road at intervals of approximately one kilometre. On new trunk roads the necessary laybys are considered an integral part of the highway and their cost is included in the overall cost of construction. On existing trunk roads laybys are provided when needed as funds can be made available. Consequently no total estimate of the cost of laybys has been made.