HC Deb 24 January 1979 vol 961 cc191-2W
47. Mr. Higgins

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps were taken by his Department, following the snowfall affecting road traffic at the end of 1978 and beginning of 1979, to provide adequate information to the public on which major roads were blocked and which were not; and what detailed up to date information he supplied to the television and other media.

Mr. Horam

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment set up special co-ordinating arrangements in his Department to deal with the emergency caused by the weather conditions over the new year. Information on specific road conditions was, however, already being given adequate publicity by those best able to provide it from among the motoring organisations, police and local authori- ties. In the cirucumstances, therefore, neither my right hon. Friend nor myself say any need to duplicate the excellent service of up-to-date road information being given by the broadcasting and newspaper media from detailed local information.