§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether it will be necessary to close the M50 motorway in order to rebuild the Kempley Road bridge;
- (2) when he expects the M50 to be fully operational again ;
- (3) what plans he has to rebuild the Kempley Road bridge, Gloucestershire.
§ Mr. William RodgersI expect that the west-bound carriageway will be opened to two-way traffic by 22nd December. Contra-flow traffic arrangements will operate over as short a distance as possible.
Longer term plans for this bridge have not yet been decided and it is therefore difficult to say when the M50 will be fully operational again.
Present indications are that reconstruction can be carried out without complete closure of the motorway. This can be confirmed only after a full survey of the extent of damage to the bridge.
§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate a Government inquiry into the collapse of the Kempley Road bridge on to the M50 motorway.
§ Mr. William RodgersYes. I have already arranged for an urgent departmental inquiry into the collapse of the bridge.
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§ Mr. Watkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Transport if the design of the Kempley Road Bridge is common to other motorway bridges.
§ Mr. William RodgersThere are four other bridges on the M50 motorway which are of similar design and it is likely that there are others elswhere in the country.