§ Mr. Colvinasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet able to make a statement about the Severn bridge.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI have now received the interim report from the consulting engineers, the Flint and Neill Partnership, who have been appointed to consider strategies for strengthening the Severn bridge and the other components of the Severn crossing. Copies have been placed in the Library.
While much work remains to be done, the report is reassuring about the possibility of strengthening the bridge to a higher loading standard. No insuperable problems have been encountered. I am now considering the implications of this report and shall make a further statement in due course.
Copies of the report are available for inspection in my Department, 2 Marsham Street, S.W.1, at my Department's regional office, Froomsgate House, Bristol, and at the Welsh Office, Ty-Glas Road, Llanishen, Cardiff.