HC Deb 10 December 1980 vol 995 cc413-4W
65. Mr. Beith

asked the Minister of Transport what recommendations his Department has made to Northumberland county council about the reductions of snow clearance and gritting on roads.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The Department's regional office is discussing with Northumberland county council measures to keep trunk roads clear of ice and snow this winter. The discussion will cover details of the frequency, timing and order in which these roads are to be treated. Our aim is to make the best possible use of the men, materials' and equipment available. I am sure that we can produce arrangements which will achieve reasonable standards of road safety and make efficient use of the available resources.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Transport on what grounds he supplemented by £214,302 the allocation of funds for winter road maintenance to Cumbria county council during the mild winter of 1979–80 and has increased their allocation to £396,000 for 1980–81.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The figure of £214,302 was not a supplement but the amount by which Cumbria county council overspent its allocation of £316,575 for winter maintenance of trunk roads during 1979–80, despite the mildness of the winter. The county's allocation for this winter, which has been provisionally set at £396,000, is still under discussion with the council. The allocation will be set at an estimate of Cumbria's need during a winter of average severity.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the light of the costs of fatal accidents assessed by his Department, he will review his decision about the allocation of funds for winter road maintenance.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

No. There is no link between the frequency of fatal accidents and past expenditure on winter road maintenance. The funds allocated will be kept under review throughout the winter in the light of weather conditions.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the event of local authorities having used all the funds allocated to them under the winter road maintenance budget owing to the severity of weather conditions, the Government will supplement these funds.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Yes. Local authorities know that their allocations for winter maintenance of trunk roads have always been and will continue to be subject to variation in the event of exceptionally severe weather.