Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the nearest port in the United Kingdom to each of the following ports, London, Southampton and Liverpool, which is capable of handling container traffic and general cargo ships of 8,000 tons; and what is the shortest practical road mileage for heavy lorries to such nearest port.
§ Mr. MarksThe nearest such ports with lift-on/lift-off container facilities, measured as the crow flies, are Felixstowe, Newport and Manchester, respectively. On the same basis, the nearest ports with roll-on/roll-off facilities are Medway, Bristol and Manchester.
The approximate road mileages on routes suitable for heavy lorries between these ports is as follows:
London and Felixstowe 75 miles London and Medway (Sheerness) 43 miles Southampton and Newport 100 miles Southampton and Bristol 70 miles Liverpool and Manchester 25 miles