HC Deb 19 December 1980 vol 996 cc404-5W
Mr. Robert C. Brown

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that the amount of cash provided for the salting and gritting of roads in the counties of Tyne and Wear and Northumberland is alrnost exhausted, what steps he proposes to take to make sufficient resources available to meet the situation later this winter.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Provisional allocations for the winter maintenance of trunk roads and motorways in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland county councils this winter are £33,250 and £135,000 respectively compared with £31,695 and £122,965 last winter. I understand that the counties have already expended about 40 per cent. of these allocations although the weather has not yet been exceptionally severe.

If we have a severe winter more money will be made available to meet road safety needs but counties ought to be able to keep within their allocations in an average winter if they organise maintenance in an efficient and cost-effective way.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in limiting expenditure on road gritting, salting and clearing for the coming winter to the level of 1979–80 with no allowance for inflation, he consulted any long-range weather forecast before making his decision.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Expenditure for the winter maintenance of trunk roads and motorways has not been limited to the level of 1979–80. The allocation for this work last winter was £5,475,500 while the provisional allocation for this winter is £6,533,000—and that figure will be reviewed if the winter is exceptionally severe.

Mr. Adley

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied that he has made adequate provision to keep the road network safe and open to traffic during the winter.

Mr. Fowler

As Minister of Transport, I will see that local authorities as my agents, have adequate funds to ensure that trunk roads and motorways which are my responsibility are kept as safe as possible and wherever possible open to traffic this winter. I am confident that authorities will do the same for their own local roads.

I have allocated over £6.5 million to agent authorities for winter maintenance of trunk roads and motorways over the coming months but, as in previous years, what is spent will depend upon actual conditions. The figure of £6.5 million is a provisional one based upon the estimated cost of dealing with an average winter. However, in the event of an exceptionally severe winter, funds would be made available, as they have been in the past.

Generally, the amount spent on winter maintenance has tended to increase in real terms over recent years, with a very big increase in 1978–79 when the winter was a very bad one. However, in 1979–80, which was a mild winter, expenditure remained comparatively high.

I must be satisfied that whatever the conditions the most cost effective measures are taken to deal with them. To this end I shall be undertaking a review of the various arrangements made for winter maintenance, having regard to the different conditions likely to face individual authorities, in the light of experience this winter and in earlier years.