Road Gritting

Mrs. Dunwoody
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the authorities in England who have the direct responsibility for gritting trunk roads; and what the authorities' new responsibilities are for gritting roads. [98556]

Mr. Jamieson
The operation and gritting of trunk roads in England is the responsibility of the Highways Agency.In England there is no explicit statutory duty on a highway authority to remove ice, but we shall introduce one at a suitable legislative opportunity.