Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister of Transport whether any scheme 1540W is under consideration by his Department for improving the facilities for crossing the Tyne east of Newcastle so as to prevent traffic having to go from Jarrow, Sunderland, and South Shields to Newcastle in order to get to North Shields, Tynemouth, and the North generally; whether any consultations have taken place with the local authorities north and south of the Tyne and his Department in regard to this question; and with what result?
§ Mr. BurginA proposal that a road tunnel should be built under the Tyne at or near Jarrow has been submitted for my consideration by a Joint Committee consisting of representatives of the County Councils of Durham and Northumberland and the Newcastle Corporation. In April last I informed the Joint Committee that in my opinion the views of the County Boroughs of Tynemouth and South Shields, who are interested in the construction of a tunnel east of Newcastle, should be obtained, and the Joint Committee promised to call a meeting of these and other interested authorities. I am now waiting to hear from them regarding progress of discussions on this matter.