§ 30. Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to improve transport in the inner cities.
§ Mr. ParkinsonNational road schemes worth £3 billion are under construction or planned to assist the inner cities including major schemes on the A 13 to aid revival of London's docklands, the M66 Denton to Middleton scheme and the A69 Newcastle western bypass. Over 100 major local road schemes to assist inner city areas, costing nearly £1 billion, are supported by 50 per cent. transport supplementary grant; examples are the Birmingham heartlands spine road, the Leeds inner ring road and the Haringey north-south route. We provide grant under the Industrial Development Act 1982 to help build access roads to development sites, such as the Meadowhall development in Sheffield and improvement of Aldwarke lane in Rotherham. In February I announced approval for the electrification of the Birmingham cross-city railway line. We are providing grant under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 for the Manchester Metrolink. The Docklands Light Railway has contributed greatly to the regeneration of London's docklands. It is now being extended westwards to Bank and eastwards to Beckton and we are consolidating the revitalisation of the area with the Jubilee line extension.