§ Mr. Ripponasked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the last two years towards the completion of the strategic network of 4,500 miles of first class motorways and trunk roads; how many miles remain to be completed; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke:The concept of a strategic network was abandoned in 1977. The present Government prefer the examination of individual road schemes on a case-by-case basis to ensure value for money and to take account of both environmental and economic factors rather than a return to a system of building whole routes to a predetermined standard regardless of conditions in each section.
312WIn the last two years roughly 85 miles of motorway, 46 miles of new or improved all-purpose dual carriageway trunk road and 19 miles of new or improved single carriageway road have been completed in England. Our national trunk road programme still contains nearly 400 schemes totalling around 1,400 miles of new or improved motorway and trunk roads at various stages of construction or preparation and we propose to press on with them as quickly as sensible management and resources will allow.