§ 59. Mr. HoltTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving vehicles towing caravans, horse boxes, and so on, have been recorded in each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe following is the information:
level of congestion on roads in London and south-east England over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyI refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone) on road conditions in London. Forecasts suggest that road traffic in the south-east outside London could increase by the order of 3 per cent. per annum to the year 2001.
Priority is being given in the national trunk road programme to schemes aimed primarily at relieving congestion, providing environmental relief and reducing casualties. Since April 1986 10 major schemes costing approximately £235 million have been completed in London and the south-east. Another 94 schemes costing approximately £2 billion are in the forward national programme at various stages of preparation. A number of smaller schemes are included in my Department's regional programme and we are supporting the Local highway authorities' road building programmes through the transport supplementary grant. A review of the national road programme will be published in the spring.