§ Mr. Wardasked the Secretary of State for Transport is he satisfied that the future maintenance costs are given sufficient consideration when a choice is made between bitumen and concrete forms of construction for trunk roads.
§ Mrs. ChalkerConsideration cannot be given to future maintenance costs when contracts are awarded until reliable data are available on lifetime costs of maintaining bituminous and concrete roads built to present-day standards. The Department is reviewing this matter at present and is also considering the recommendations of the Transport Committee's recent report on road maintenance.