HC Deb 12 March 1990 vol 169 c125W
39. Mr. Hardy

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will match expenditure upon major trunk routes with that devoted to other roads in order to avoid the transfer of congestion from one to the other.

Mr. Atkins

Local highway authorities are responsible for expenditure on non-trunk roads. In 1990–91 the Government will be assisting with transport supplementary grant of £233 million, nearly 15 per cent. more than for the current year. But traffic growth is twice as fast on national roads as on local roads, and the most pressing problem is congestion on major trunk routes. Planned improvements to trunk roads will also help to relieve pressure on the local road network.