§ Mr. Nicholas Bakerasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the progress of the programme of building bypasses round historic towns.
§ Mr. David Howell[pursuant to his reply, 20 April 1983, c. 126.]: Over 65 per cent. of the 245 identified historic towns on trunk roads have been relieved of through traffic by bypasses or major routes, or will be bypassed by roads now under construction. Over 90 per cent. of such historic towns will be relieved of through traffic when our present programme is completed. Of the remainder, some coastal towns have no through trunk traffic; the position of the remaining handful is being carefully examined in our present review of the programme.
As to historic towns on local roads, in successive transport supplementary grant settlements under this Administration my right hon. Friends have enabled county councils to start over 100 local authority bypasses, of which about 40 will provide relief to historic towns.