§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Minister of Overseas Development what timetable is envisaged for construction of the new road from Makambako to Songea in Southern Tanzania.
§ Mrs. Hart:The reconstruction of the road from Makambako to Songea in Southern Tanzania to all-weather standards is expected to take about five years, and construction will start around the middle of next year.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her estimate of the cost of constructing the new road from Makambako to Songea in Southern Tanzania; what proportion of the cost will be funded by Tanzania and the United Kingdom, respectively; and whether the British contribution will be in the form of a grant or a loan.
§ Mrs. Hart:The cost is estimated at some £40 million, including £2.3 million for design and supervision by British consultants; £2.8 million—7 per cent.—of this will be met by the Tanzanians in the form of a contribution to local labour costs, and the Tanzanian Government will also make land available where necessary. All aid to Tanzania is in the form of grants.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Minister of Overseas Development what topographical difficulties are considered relevant to the construction of the new road from Makambako to Songea in Southern Tanzania.
§ Mrs. Hart:No exceptional topographical difficulties are envisaged in the construction of the road. For the most part it will follow the existing alignment, with a small central section realigned.
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§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Minister of Overseas Development what estimate she has made of the number of United Kingdom-based staff and locally-employed Tanzanians who will be employed in the construction of the new road from Makambako to Songea in Southern Tanzania.
§ Mrs. Hart:Forty to 50 United Kingdom-based staff are expected to be employed in the construction of the road, and up to 500 to 600 locally employed staff at any one time.
§ Mr. Arnoldasked the Minister of Overseas Development what studies she has made of the present traffic density on the road between Makambako and Songea in Southern Tanzania; and what forecasts she has made of the increase in traffic which can be expected to result from completion of the new road.
§ Mrs. Hart:Present traffic density, as at October 1977, is some 110 vehicles per day between Makambako and Itoni, and some 50 per day between Itoni and Songea. The purpose of the road is to open up the Ruvuma region, and parts of the Iringa region; it will also provide a useful alternative route benefiting Mtwara and Lindi. The increase in traffic will be closely related to the development of the regions concerned, but cannot be accurately predicted at present.