HC Deb 11 November 1969 vol 791 cc49-50W
45. Mr. Ronald Atkins

asked the Minister of Transport in how many cases the closure of a railway line or canal has enabled new roads to be built at reduced cost by avoiding the need for bridges; and whether he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the instances with the respective financial savings for 1967, 1968, and 1969.

Mr. Murray

We are aware of 67 cases in which schemes for the construction or improvement of trunk roads, including motorways, and prinicipal roads commenced since 1st January, 1967, cross closed railways or canals. The savings resultings from not having to build bridges cannot be allocated to specific years, since it is not known in which year the expense would have been incurred had it been necessary; nor can they be precisely estimated, but at a rough approximation they exceed £3 million. This information is not exhaustive.