§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) for how long the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Portillo) was delayed in traffic on his visit 527W to Luciano Pavarotti's concert in docklands; what representations he has received on traffic delays in the docklands area; and if he will increase planned expenditure on road links between central London and docklands;
(2) if, given the considerable traffic delays encountered by those attending last Sunday's London Arena concert by Luciano Pavarotti, he will speed up work on (a) roads and (b) communications generally for the London docklands.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 26 June 1989]: It took me just over an hour from Westminster to the Arena, which is about the time I allow for journeys to major events at Earls Court, Wimbledon and so on. It was perhaps a pity that more people did not choose to travel by docklands light railway, which was operated especially for the Pavarotti concert.
The Department and the London Docklands development corporation have very large road programmes which are being pursued with all possible urgency. On the A13 trunk road in Tower Hamlets and Newham, over £60 million of schemes will provide interim and permanent improvements to every major junction and bridge over the next seven years. These schemes form part of the Department's £600 million programme for trunk roads in east London of which the Sidcup bypass, South Woodford to Barking relief road, Rochester way relief road and Beckton flyover tidal flow are already complete, and others in hand include the A406 Chingford road to Hale End road improvement, the A12 Hackney Wick to M11 link road and the proposed east London river crossing, on the design of which we hope to make an announcement shortly. With refurbishment of the Blackwall tunnel south bore now nearing completion, we hope to tackle the north bore in offpeak periods over the two years from September. We have also invited tenders for a new traffic control and communications system for east London to be located at Blackwall.
The London Docklands development corporation's £550 million programme of access roads includes schemes already complete in the Surrey docks and under way at the Royal docks. Work will start later this year on a new crossing over the lower Lea, and the compulsory purchase order has now been made for the proposed 1.5 km dual two-lane cut-and-cover tunnel from The Highway to Westferry road and Poplar, known as the Limehouse link.
The Department is working closely on co-ordination of streetworks with the utilities, developers, the police and the LDDC which has commissioned a study into extending the controlled parking zone to docklands.
On public transport, the reliability of the docklands light railway is being improved with an urgent programme of remedial measures. Capacity will be trebled on completion of the extension to Bank, and the Bill for a link to Beckton is now completing its parliamentary passage. I am about to receive the report of the east London rail study recommending extension of the Jubilee line through Surrey docks, Canary wharf and the Greenwich peninsula to Stratford, for which we shall be seeking contributions from developers. Subject to satisfactory contributions, LRT could deposit the necessary Bill in Parliament in November. British Rail is introducing longer trains in October on its north London link, where capacity will be increased by a tunnel refurbishment to be funded by LDDC. The new network of docklands minibus routes usefully complements London Regional Transport's 528W improved docklands bus services, and Thamesline riverbus services are being extended to Greenland and Greenwich piers.
My chairmanship of a steering group comprising operators, boroughs, utilities, developers, the police and the LDDC enables me to help keep the momentum up and to intervene whenever necessary to facilitate action.
I am satisfied that the docklands transport programmes are appropriate and are being progressed as fast as possible.