Get A45 fit for Common Market traffic
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• The Government was yesterday blamed for its "half-hearted and piecemeal" approach to the planning of a key strategic road linking the Midlands with the major ports of East Anglia.
Sir George Middleton, chief executive of the British Industry Roads Campaign, said at a British Road Federation conference in Peterborough that the improvement of A45 was an appalling indictment of the way Britain tackles its priorities in road building.
In a report, Road to Europe, launched at the meeting, the BRF calls for urgent action to speed up the rebuilding of the Midlands-East Anglia road ready for a massive increase in traffic after entry to the Common Market.
The meeting, arranged by the BRF in conjunction with Perkins Engines, at Peterborough, was attended by senior representatives of industry, commerce, local councils and port authorities throughout the region.
In his address, Sir George said: "Ipswich, Harwich and Felixstowe are now shipping over 2 million tons of exports every year.
"The Secretary of State for the Environment promised to give priority to roads serving the ports and to link the major docks by 1975. But at the rate of progress we are making now there is little chance that the Government can keep its promise. As things stand it will be 1979 before the whole of the A45 is rebuilt.
"Traffic conditions on the A45 are the result of neglect by one Government after another. I want to see Mr Rippon step in and end these delays. The A45 should be one of the roads he is now selecting for accelerated construction in connection with our entry into Europe."
Sir George added: "Not one of our trading competitors in Europe or anywhere else has the same relentless problem of moving goods to the docks as we have in Britain. Either the cost of transport on heavily congested roads takes the edge from our prices or it is hidden in smaller profit margins."
Arranged in conjunction with the BRF conference is an exhibition, "Better Roads Mean More Jobs", which was opened on Wednesday by the Mayor of Peterborough, Cllr Roy Topley, at Perkins Engines Ltd, Eastfield, Peterborough. Running for eight days, the display is designed to show Perkins' 7500 employees how the lack of efficient road systems, particularly in East Anglia, can have detrimental effects on their own industry.