HL Deb 03 June 1947 vol 148 cc118-20WA
THE EARL OF MANSFIELD

asked His Majesty's Government whether they will state, for Scotland and England respectively, the total amount spent upon the maintenance of trunk roads in each of the years 1930, 1935, and 1938, together with the amount proposed to be spent in 1947, and also what ibis amounts to in each case per road-mile, having regard to the fact that a considerable mileage has been added to trunk roads in recent years.

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD INMAN)

Separate figures are not available for the expenditure on maintenance during the years 1930 and 1935 of those roads which became trunk roads by virtue of the Acts of 1936 and 1946. For the year ended March 31, 1939, the records show only the total figures for Great Britain as a whole. In the following statement the fuller information in respect of the year ended March 31, 1938, has accordingly been included, as well as the provisional figures of estimated expenditure fox the year ending March 31, 1948.

In comparing the figures it should be borne in mind that the records include under the general heading of "Maintenance" not only ordinary repairs and re-surfacing of highways, but also those minor improvements, including re-formation of foundations, which may be carried out within the limits of the existing highway boundaries. In the year 1938–39 a larger amount of minor improvement work of this character was carried out than in the year 1937–38, which was the first year in which the Minister of Transport was himself the responsible Highway Authority.

Following is the statement referred to:

TRUNK ROADS—MAINTENANCE.
— Expenditure £ Mileage. Expenditure per mile. £
Year ended 31st March, 1938:
England and Wales 1,849,730 3,271 565
Scotland 252,725 1,188 212
England, Wales and Scotland 2,102,455 4,459 472
Year ended 31st March, 1939:
England, Wales and Scotland 2,726,871 4,456 612
Year ended 31st March, 1948 (estimated):
England and Wales 6,100,000 6,212 982
Scotland 900,000 1,948 462
England, Wales and Scotland 7,000,000 8,160 858

NOTE: The figures for 1947–48 are provisional only and take no account of exceptional expenditure on repairs which may be necessary to deal with the effects of the abnormal frost and flood in February and March, 1947.

House adjourned at six minutes before nine o'clock.