My Lords, I beg to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
[The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government if they will ensure that in the construction of the Oxford Western by-pass provision will be made for public conveniences, places for refreshment and petrol service stations so as to make it unnecessary for vehicles and passengers to enter Oxford for the purpose of using such facilities, thereby ensuring that the by-pass will make a maximum contribution to the relief of traffic congestion in Oxford and whether Her Majesty's Government will further see that such facilities do not disturb the amenities of the surrounding countryside.]
My Lords, while my right honourable friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation is anxious that the Oxford ring roads, when completed, will be used by through traffic to the greatest possible extent, he has no power to make provision for facilities such as public conveniences, places for refreshment and petrol service stations on roads other than Special Roads, such as the London-Yorkshire motorway. I understand, however, that the whole question of wayside facilities for traffic using the Oxford ring roads is being studied at present by the local authorities concerned and the Oxford Preservation Trust. My right honourable friend is keeping in close touch with these discussions.
My Lords, again I am grateful to the noble Lord for his reply, but will he accept from me that one of the prime reasons why coach proprietors say that they must take their coaches through Oxford is because Birmingham and the West Midlands are situated at a distance from Oxford that makes the utilisation of the facilities I have mentioned in my Question of paramount importance? As this Western by-pass at Oxford is a trunk road and therefore will rank for 100 per cent. grant from the Ministry, on the very sound principle that the man who pays the piper has some right to call the tune, will the Minister utilise his bargaining power with the local authorities in regard to the facilities I have mentioned?
My Lords, I accept almost anything from the noble Lord. Will he accept from me the fact that the traffic value of by-passes must not be impaired by unnecessary roadside developments? Obviously, what we have to do is to find a halfway house —if that is not rather an unfortunate metaphor—and I am certain that in due course a correct solution will be arrived at.
My Lords, may I ask whether the noble Lord is aware of what I think I may say is the definite opinion of the public authorities concerned with the region of Oxford: that the danger of any interference with the flow of traffic, in the particular Oxford problem, is negligible in relation to the importance of attracting traffic, which would otherwise go through the centre of Oxford, on to these by-passes? May I ask him, in communicating with his right honourable friend, to call attention to the results of a small unofficial conference, over which, as it happened, I presided yesterday in Oxford, which had members from all the public local authorities concerned, where the opinion I have just expressed was very strongly stated?
Yes, my Lords, I will certainly do what my noble friend wishes.