§ Sir E. ILIFFEasked the Minister of Transport whether he has come to an arrangement with the London County Council as to the amount of that body's contribution to the cost of the Victoria Dock Road improvement schemes; and, if so, when a Bill providing for the carrying out of this work will be introduced into Parliament?
§ Colonel ASHLEYNo arrangement has yet been arrived at. Negotiations, however, are in progress with the London County Council and the other local authorities which are interested or affected, and I am encouraged to hope that general agreement will be reached so that a Bill to obtain the necessary powers may be deposited next autumn.
§ Colonel MASONased the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that it is intended to abandon permanently the tidal entrance to Victoria Dock, in the Port of London, in consequence of the building of the new arterial road; and whether arrangements can be made to obviate this result in view of the congestion and expense of barge traffic which the loss of this entrance would entail?
§ Colonel ASHLEYSuch a proposal, among others, has formed the subject of informal conversations between representatives of the Port of London Authority and of my Department, and negotiations are still proceeding. The interests to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers are represented upon the Port Authority, who will doubtless give the fullest consideration to the matter before any decision is reached.