§ Sir COOPER RAWSONasked the Minister of Transport whether he has received representations from local authorities urging that an additional number of roads should be classified in view of the heavier maintenance costs arising out of the increasing number of motor vehicles, and submitting that the grants of 50 per cent. for Class 1 roads and 25 per cent. for Class 2 roads are inadequate, and that, in future, no road, whatever its classification, should receive a grant of less than 50 per cent. of the expenditure upon it by the local authority; and what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Colonel ASHLEYRepresentations frequently reach me in favour of increasing the mileage of classified roads and greatly extending the scope of Road Fund grants. While I cannot hold out hopes of far-reaching concessions of the character indicated in the question, I may explain that there is a progressive increase in the length of highways benefiting from Road Fund grants, and that this policy of gradual expansion will be pursued.