Chaos predicted
Page 16
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HE GREATER LONDON Council has a vital part to play in the future F London's roads. If it is abolished as the Government intends, then )ndon will slide from order to chaos, said George Nicholson, chairIan of the GLC Planning Committee (see also p.20).
The Government's plans for )ads in London would produce Darer people and less jobs, Mr icholson said. "They are a !cipe for fudging and inaction," 3 said.
"The Department of Transport ill have control of 70 miles of lads in inner and central Lon)n. It wants to turn these roads to ring roads and motorways," 3 said.
"If it goes ahead with its plans e DTp will spend between
bn and £2bn on upgrading and improving roads. This will mean the loss of thousands ofl jobs and homes," he said.
' The abolition of the GLC would lead to London borough councils becoming highway authorities for 7,650 miles of non-trunk roads. This would lead to arguments about what should be done, he said.
"London boroughs with planning and some transport powers, a Voluntary Joint Committee of boroughs watching over traffic matters, a new quango to run London Transport, a Planning Commission plus the DTp and the Department of Environment will all have fingers in the pie.
"Amid all the inevitable interauthority haggling, London has no chance of getting a co-ordinated policy for planning and transport capable of handling the difficulties involved."
The GLC recognises the need for a stable roads policy, but this should be through a Londonwide authority with wide responsibilities and adequate resources, he said.
He admitted that the metropolitan road programme had not been up to scratch, but blamed it partly on the Government. "The House of Commons Select Committee and others have been critical of the Council's performance as a highway improvement (not maintenance) authority."
"It is right that road building in London is a contentious issue, and despite changes in national government, the trunk road programme for London has been more stable than the metropolitan road programme.
In summing up, he said that Government proposals would make arrangements for transport facilities "wasteful, confused and less capable."