§ Mr. Amosasked the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are used, in allocating grants to local authorities for transport purposes, to assess the urgency of structural repairs to bridges on or over roads for which local authorities are responsible; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTransport supplementary grant (TSG) is paid to local authorities in support of accepted programmes of capital works on roads of more than local importance. Expenditure on structural repairs to bridges on such roads may be accepted for TSG if the original load-carrying capacity is increased. It is for local authorities to decide the priority to be given within their road programmes to structural improvements to bridges.
§ Mr. Amosasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will visit Northumberland to discuss the state of structural repair of bridges on and over roads for which he has responsibility; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. Peter BottomleyBridges in Northumberland carrying local roads which are in need of structural repair are the responsibility of the county council as the local highway authority. I saw some of them when I visited Northumberland last year and I discussed this matter with the council earlier this year on the occasion of the northern regional annual consultative committee meeting.
Structural improvement to local bridges to increase their local carrying capacity may be eligible for transport supplementary grant. I am now awaiting the council's bid for this for 1988–89.