BRF piles on the pressure
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THE LOBBYING power of MPs is being capitalised on by the British Road Federation, which is urging Yorkshire and Humberside MPs to put pressure on Transport Secretary David Howell.
This follows BRF lobbying of East Midlands MPs. (CM, December 4) in a similar exercise intended to, speed construction of the southern Al/M1 link as a dual-carriageway.
In last week's session, BRF director Kenneth Cannell told the MPs that 11 road construction schemes in Yorkshire and Humberside have been suspended and another 13 will not be started until 1986 at the earliest.
"Clearly, the Government has failed to recognise the economic value and environmental benefit these by-pass and relief schemes will bring. Action is needed to reinstate suspended schemes and bring forward the construction date of others," he said.
The main emphasis of the BRF campaign is geared towards building the Kirkhamgate/Dishforth route to improve access to and from North East England; a high standard trans-Pennine route linking Sheffield and Manchester; building the Airedale route; and improving local roads to ease congestion in Humberside and North, South and West Yorkshire.
The Department of Transport is already looking at the possibility of converting the abandoned Woodhead railway tunnel into a new trans-Pennine road.
A BRF spokesman explained that both meetings were arranged because their needs have not been highlighted greatly in the past, and because MPs generally are the best group to use for lobbying the Transport Secretary.
But he added that there are no plans for any more meetings in the immediate future for other areas, although the two were well attended by MPs.