§ Viscount Hanworthasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will give priority to improving communications between the London Docklands area and the south which avoid access through central London, so as to encourage further development in this area without increasing traffic problems in central London.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Transport (Lord Brabazon of Tara)High priority is being given to improving access to Docklands. The East London river crossing scheme will provide a direct link from the junction of the North Circular Road with the A.13 through to the A.2 at Falconwood.
The department is pressing ahead with 11 improvement schemes on the A.13 to provide a high standard route from Docklands to the M.25. It is also planning a third bore for the Blackwall Tunnel and improvement of the A.2 Kidbrooke Park Road interchange at the southern approach to the tunnel.
The progress of these schemes depends on the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures. Public inquiries into proposed design changes to the East London river crossing opened on 3rd July 1990.
In addition, the proposed extension of the Jubilee Line will greatly improve access to Docklands, will improve accessibility in areas poorly served by public transport south of the Thames, and will help to relieve congestion in central London. London Regional Transport is developing proposals for a southern extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Greenwich and Lewisham.