§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether he would commission a report on the effects of the cuts in the winter road maintenance programme on the motorway safety standards on the M6 in Cumbria.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. The financial allocation for winter maintenance of the M6 and other trunk roads in Cumbria is still under discussion. We already receive frequent local reports on road conditions and accidents.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport if he will reassess his policy on road maintenance so as to recognise the priority of expenditure for winter road maintenance in the industrial areas as against other parts of the country.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. Our policy for winter road maintenance of trunk roads and motorways is already directed towards keeping these strategic roads clear of ice and snow, particularly where and when they are most heavily used by commercial and industrial traffic.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he is satisfied that the reduction of night work and weekend working on the A66 in Cumbria will not affect road safety standards;
(2) whether he is satisfied that the reduction in night work on the M6 will not affect motorway safety standards.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe are seeking to ensure that winter maintenance work is done and salt runs are made on the M6, the A66 and other trunk roads in Cumbria in response to local weather conditions and changes in traffic density. The details of any manning arrangements and shift work are a matter for Cumbria county council but we will pay for work which is necessary to achieve a reasonable level of road safety on trunk roads.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied with the level of the winter road maintenance on the A66 and the M6 in Cumbria.
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§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeA number of detailed matters are still under discussion between the Department's regional office and Cumbria county council. In the meantime we are confident that the county, as our agent for trunk roads and motorways, will continue to do everything possible to keep these roads clear of ice and snow.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport if he will review his letter of 8 October 1980 to Cumbria county council, referring to the relegation of the A66 to second-class road status under the winter road maintenance programme, in the light of the needs of industry in the area of Cumbria served by that road.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeDiscussions between the Department's regional office and Cumbria county council are continuing on this and related matters.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether his Department will supplement the winter road maintenance budget to Cumbria county council in the light of recent bad weather conditions and the likelihood of a severe winter.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe final level of spending on winter maintenance will depend on the severity of weather we experience this winter. I am certainly not prepared to allocate more money to this work merely on the basis of recent weather and long-range weather forecasts.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether he will issue a further circular to local authorities in the Northern region on the winter road maintenance programmes.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. We are continuing to have discussions with local authorities on their detailed local arrangements for trunk roads.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether, in the event of the escalation in the number of vehicle accidents due to reduction in the winter road maintenance budget, he will review his decision on the allocation of funds for such work.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe funds that we have already allocated should be adequate to achieve a reasonable level of road safety in a normal winter. We are discussing with local authorities how to get the best value out of those funds by efficient use of machines and salt on trunk roads. It is always understood that the allocation of funds may have to be reviewed in the event of an exceptionally severe winter.
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether the incidence of vehicle accidents on the M6 and on the A66 in Cumbria can be linked to the reduction in the service under the winter road maintenance programme.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeNo. The number of serious accidents on trunk roads in Cumbria has altered very little during the last five winters, despite a very considerable increase in winter maintenance expenditure and in traffic. Figures are as follows:
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£ outturn prices 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 Trunk road winter maintenance in Cumbria 231 290 390 702 531 Trunk road accidents in Cumbria, November-March 181 169 188 176 182
§ Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Minister of Transport whether any consultations have taken place with police authorities on the standards of winter road maintenance of the A66 and on the M6 in Cumbria.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe police authorities would not expect to be consulted an this matter but will be informed or any changes in procedures once the Department's regional office has completed discussions with Cumbria county council.