§ Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the growing unemployment in South Wales, he will invite the local authorities to submit additional schemes of roadworks for grant consideration.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI have recently agreed to make grants towards additional schemes on classified roads in South Wales as follows:
— Cost Government Grant £ £ Glamorgan … 106,500 77,800 Carmarthenshire … 100,000 66,200 Pembrokeshire … 66,000 37,300 I also propose to carry out an additional trunk road scheme in Carmarthenshire estimated to cost £41,000.
§ Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the growing unemployment in 250W South Wales, he will authorise an early start on the already projected roadways linking South Wales to the Midlands.
§ Mr. WatkinsonWork started on the Ross By-Pass and the Ross Spur in 1958, and I hope that in the autumn of this year work will begin on extending this motorway towards Birmingham and on constructing the Heads of the Valleys road between Brynmawr and Abergavenny. Preparatory work is already going ahead as fast as possible on the other major trunk road schemes linking South Wales to the Midlands.
§ Mr. Ness Edwardsasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if, in view of the growing unemployment in South Wales, he will cause an immediate start on the approach road work for the projected Severn bridge.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThe Consulting Engineers are preparing plans for dealing with roads and accesses affected by the Severn Bridge approach roads, and I hope later this year to be able to publish a draft Order under Section 3 of the Special Roads Act, 1949, showing what is proposed. Construction of these approach roads cannot begin until this Order has been made in accordance with the prescribed statutory procedure and the land needed has been acquired.