§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, how much (a) agricultural land and (b) woodland has been lost as a result of motorway construction in each of the years 1960 to 1974, inclusive.
§ Mr. CarmichaelFollowing is the information:
Financial Year with Approximate Land Take in Acres by Motorway Construction 1960–1961 700 1961–1962 300 1962–1963 980 1963–1964 1,820 1964–1965 1,100 1965–1966 860 1966–1967 660 1967–1968 1,540 1968–1969 820 1969–1970 660 1970–1971 2,180 1971–1972 4,300 1972–1973 860 1973–1974 1,100 During the same period it is estimated that 8,400 acres were taken for the building of 34 motorway service areas. The acreage cannot readily be apportioned between one year and another.
It is not possible to distinguish between agricultural land and woodland, or between rural and urban land, but much the greater part of land taken by motorways is rural land.