§ Mr. Straussasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, whether he will now make a statement about the relief the Government propose to give to the British Transport Commission for its inherited liability for road bridges over railways, and level crossings.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe views put to me by the British Transport Commission on this subject have been carefully considered. Its proposal that is should be relieved of certain liabilities in these respects raised a number of complicated issues, but the Government nevertheless recognises that traffic and road conditions have changed very considerably since most of these bridges and level crossings were built, that the burden of maintaining them has become more onerous in recent26W years, and that highway authorities now receive assistance from the Exchequer for road works. Further, the present arrangements do not in many cases operate so as to assist in the improvement of roads over railway bridges or of level crossings.
To change the present arrangements will, however, require legislation. Meanwhile the Government propose as an interim measure to make a payment of £1 million for the second half of 1958 and £2 million in 1959 as a contribution towards the Commission's expenditure on these liabilities. Parliamentary authority for the payment of £1 million this financial year is being sought by Supplementary Estimate.