§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Secretary of State for Transport by how much he expects the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Christmas Budget to delay the opening of the A10 to M11 section of the M25; and when this will now be in use.
§ Mr. Berryasked the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the Chancellor's recent statement will have on the building of the M25; and whether he will give the latest estimates for the completion of each section.
§ Mr. HoramAs a result of the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 15th December, a moratorium has been imposed for the next six months on the letting of any new contracts for motorway and trunk road construction.
The following sections of the M25 are already open: the A1 to the A111, Godstone to Reigate, Thorpe to Egham and Maple Cross to Hunton Bridge. The sections from Dartford to Swanley and from Westerham to Godstone are under construction and their estimated completion dates are the spring of 1977 and the summer of 1979 respectively. A contract for the section between Sundridge and Westerham was let before the moratorium and the estimated completion date is the summer of 1979. Revised estimated completion dates for all the remaining sections, for which contracts have not been let, have not yet been determined, as the detailed implications of the moratorium, and of the cuts in the funds available, are still being considered.