asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in view of the growth of the new town of Harlow along the A.11, London to Norwich trunk road, and the additional congestion and consequential danger to road traffic and pedestrians, he will now sanction the proposed diversion of this road at Potter Street.

My right hon. Friend expects to publish soon a draft Order under the Trunk Roads Act, 1946, for the purpose of fixing the line of the diversion of the trunk road at Potter Street. I regret that I cannot at present forecast when it will be possible to put the construction of the diversion in hand.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that if an entirely new town of 80,000 inhabitants is built along this road, on which there is already a serious accident record, this diversion ought to be accelerated if things are not to go from bad to worse?

My predecessor received a deputation led by my hon. Friend on 17th June last year, when he made it plain that it was not possible for us to give any high degree of priority to this scheme.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will engage a reputable firm of engineers to report upon Barton Bridge, Eccles, with special reference to the construction of a footpath outside the present structure of the bridge, on the side of the bridge or seven feet above the present footpaths.

No, Sir. As has been explained to the hon. Member, this is a private bridge and my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene in its operation or to make a Road Fund grant for it.

Does the Minister realise that in giving such a low priority to the Barton Bridge—the new bridge and the improvement of the old—he and his advisers have made a big mistake? Does he realise that the statement made to the National Production Advisory Council and now passed on to the T.U.C.—which states that:

"The Minister acknowledges the importance of this project but owing to the fact that there are many more schemes which are more urgently needed, there is little prospect of the Barton Bridge scheme, which would cost £2 million, being considered for a considerable number of years."

—will cause great resentment over a wide area in Lancashire? Are we to conclude that in the Ministry of Transport the interests of working men and industry take second place to the interests of pleasure motoring?

No, Sir. As was made quite plain in my right hon. Friend's statement on 8th December last year, very high priority is given to industrial areas and Lancashire has received its fair allocation out of the present programme.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation the responsibilities of his Department regarding the safety arrangements at Barton Swing Bridge, Eccles; and what are the responsibilities falling on the Manchester Ship Canal Company regarding the safety of pedestrians crossing the bridge.

My Department has no direct responsibility for safety arrangements at Barton Swing Bridge. Although there is no specific provision on the matter in the Manchester Ship Canal Act, 1885, I am advised that the Manchester Ship Canal Company might be held to have a measure of responsibility for the safety of pedestrians crossing the bridge, in so far as the Act requires the company to maintain the bridge and in so far as the company are at common law under a duty to exercise care in the opening of the bridge so as not to endanger pedestrians using it.

Will the hon. Gentleman undertake to look into this whole matter and have an inquiry with representatives of the T.U.C. and industry on the whole project of Barton Bridge and the transport arrangements there, which are causing grave dislocation to workers, industrialists and the general community?

The hon. Member has brought this matter specially to the attention of the Department. He persuaded my right hon. Friend to visit the bridge himself, and he can be assured that we have the greatest sympathy with the representations that he is making and that we will include Barton Bridge in the programme as soon as it is possible to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many accidents to persons and vehicles have occurred since 1st November, 1951, on the South Coast trunk road TR37-A27, where it passes over the Old Shoreham Bridge, and its traffic is subjected to toll imposition.

Four, Sir, all during the hours of darkness and one only resulting in serious injury.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in his capacity as the responsible highway authority for the South Coast trunk road, TR37-A27, and, in view of the fact that the present toll imposition is 6d. for two journeys on the same day, he will now consult with the British Transport Commission and seek agreement to the following concession, namely, that the 6d, toll on the Old Shoreham Bridge should, in future, permit of two journeys without regard to date.

The British Transport Commission are not prepared to suffer the appreciable loss of revenue which the adoption of this suggestion would involve. The level of charges to be made for the use of this bridge is a matter for the Commission to determine.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is satisfied that the dredging operations which he has authorised in connection with the improvement of the ferry service at Queensferry are proceeding according to plan.

I am informed by the British Transport Commission that the contractors are already on the site, but dredging has not yet started as it has to be phased in with the constructional work at the piers which has already started.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what steps he proposes to take to prevent congestion bringing traffic to a standstill in Jermyn Street, W.1, before the "no-waiting" regulations come into force at 11.30 a.m.

The Commissioner of Police informs me that there are always police on duty in Jermyn Street before 11.30 a.m. We should not at present feel justified in making an exception here to the general rule that "no-waiting" regulations come into force at 11.30 a.m.

Can my hon. Friend say what action is taken by the police when vehicles are parked on both sides of the road and two lines of traffic try to go where there is only room for one?

The police take action in two ways. As far as possible they move on the traffic which is obstructing, and if they find there is a persistent obstruction taking place they warn the driver of the vehicle concerned.

In view of the increasing congestion of London traffic, would it not be a good idea to make the hour at which no waiting is enforceable earlier, say, 10.30 in the morning?

I said that at present we do not feel justified in altering the general rule in the case of "no-waiting" street, but it is intended, as a result of representations made by the Fire Brigade, to introduce "no waiting" at all in six streets in Soho where congestion is such as greatly to increase the danger of fire.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he will now name the date for starting the Lint-house-Whiteinch Tunnel.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave him on 30th June.

Is the Minister aware that the answer is quite unsatisfactory and insufficient? Can he tell us why he is still holding up the ratification of permission to proceed now that he has the estimate? What prevents him from giving the Glasgow Corporation permission to proceed with the tunnel?

My right hon. Friend intimated last week that he would not be in a position to make any further statement on this matter until he had discussed it with the Glasgow Corporation, and the hon. Member will not obtain any further information until my right hon. Friend has had that discussion.

On a point of order. Questions are put to the Minister in the House on matters for which the House is responsible financially to the extent of 75 per cent. Is it not right, therefore, that we should have an answer and that the answer should not be referred to an outside body?

The Minister said that he would give an answer and told the hon. Member that there was no information until then. The hon. Member asked a very long supplementary question.

The Minister previously told me that he would give an answer when he had the estimates from Glasgow, but now that he has them he still does not give an answer.

That is not a point of order.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what estimates have been prepared of the additional road traffic which will be generated by the operation of London Airport at full scale.

It has been estimated that in 1960, with the Airport in operation at full scale in peak hours, some 2,000 to 2,500 vehicles per hour will enter or leave the airport. About 1,600 vehicles will use the Bath Road, 1,200 to the east and 400 to the west of the Airport entrances. Actual counts made in 1951 showed 620 vehicles per peak hour, of which 390 used the Bath Road, 280 to the east and 110 to the west.

Can the Minister say what plans are therefore being made to improve the road approaches to this Airport?

As I said in reply to a Question on 21st June, we believe that for the immediate future the Bath Road will be adequate to carry the additional traffic.

Can the Minister say what progress has been made with the extension of tube railway facilities to give passengers access to the Airport and thus avoid road approaches?

I could not say without notice.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what modifications have been made in respect of a new main road running through the Borough of Leyton.

The lines of the two trunk roads in Leyton are still under consideration, and I cannot yet say what modifications may be made.

Am I to take it from that reply that some drastic modifications are to be made in the plan?

The Leyton Borough Council is finding some difficulty at present in recruiting technical staff to carry out the necessary survey. That is what is delaying matters at the present time.