§ Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Minister of Transport the centres for which reports have been prepared for the future development of transport; and the nature and costs of the proposals contained in the reports.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydReports have been prepared for London and Glasgow as follows:
The London Plan Working Party, set up by the British Transport Commission, reported in 1949 on future railway development in the London area. Their proposals include the construction of new tubes to provide additional connections between the suburbs and the central area; the provision of main line tunnels connecting the southern railways systems with the northern; the duplication and extension of certain of the existing tube systems; the electrification of certain of the main line and suburban systems in the London area and other works. The total costs at 1949 figures are estimated at about £340 million which includes £238 million as the estimated cost of the tube and main line tunnels. These works are designed to fit in with the Greater London Plan for redistribution of population and industry under which highway works on a considerable scale were also contemplated.
The Glasgow and District Transport Committee, set up by the British Transport Commission, reported in 1951. The Committee's recommendations include proposals for the co-ordination of the services operated by the railways, the Scottish Bus Group and the Glasgow Corporation; the electrification in three stages of certain of the suburban and inter-urban railway lines; the reconstruction or modification of certain existing stations and the provision of additional railway connections and halts; the co-ordination of rail and bus fares and the provision of arrangements to secure the inter-availability of tickets. The cost of the first two stages of electrification of the railways is estimated at £14 million. No estimates have been attempted of the 117W costs of the other works involved or of the third stage of the electrification. The Committee's recommendations also covered the provision of ring roads, the construction of a vehicular tunnel under the Clyde, and the replacement of the tramways by trolleybuses or motor buses. No estimate of the cost was made.
Future highway proposals are, of course, included in the Development Plans which are being submitted in accordance with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, by local planning authorities to the Minister of Housing and Local Government. I cannot however give any estimate of the costs of these proposals.