Another £70m. Wanted for Roads : Warning of Expensive Delay .

6th May 1960, Page 73

6th May 1960

Page 73

Page 73, 6th May 1960 — Another £70m. Wanted for Roads : Warning of Expensive Delay .

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WHY could not an extra 00m. be-allocated to roads expenditure as a matter of urgency? The Prime Minister was posed this question last week by Mr. A. F. Holt (Lib., Bolton West), who spoke of the

inadequacy of the present programme." ,

Mr. Macmitlian, would not accept this premise, writes our Parliamentary correspondent, and said that expenditure was increasing. The size of any future highway-construction programme would .have to be determined in relation to various other demands on the national financial resources.

Unless the Government stepped up the whole of their road operations, responded Mr. Holt, they would only delay a programme which would inevitably be a great deal more costly.

Mr. E. G. Willis (Lab., Edinburgh East) wanted to know how many miles of road in Scotland had dual carriageways, how many would be made this year and during the next five years.

Mr. J. S. MadaY, Scottish Secretary of State, replied that 35 miles of trunk road in Scotland had dual two-lane carriage ways at present. A further 21 miles. would be opened to traffic this year. Schemes in progress, or to be authorized under the present £40m. programme, would provide another 70 miles by 1965.

Mr. Willis wondered why the programme could not be speeded up, especially in connection with the Edinburgh-Glasgow road, "No time is being wasted," Mr. Maclay told him.

. A suggestion from Mr. R. S. Russell (Cons., .Wernbley South) put to Mr. Ernest Marples, Minister of Transport, concerned the possibility of erecting Bailey bridges to serve as temporary fly-overs where permanent structures were planned.

Mr. Marples replied that this had already been considered in relation to a number of sites, but there were objections.

EXPRESS COACHES IN NEW ZEALAND

TWO luxury coaches based on Leyland Worldmaster chassis are operating an express service between Christchurch and Dunedin, New Zealand. Operated by Midland Motorways Services, Ltd., Christchurch. the two vehicles cover a 230-mile route in each direction daily in 6 hours 50 minutes.

Low-frame CRT1.1 chassis with 33-ft.long bodies built by the operators are used. The coaches are said to be the longest ever built in New Zealand and offer luxury accommodation for only 32 passengers.

A double floor provides additional luggage space as well as insulation. Each coach has cost about E.10.000.

100 MILES OF TYRE SERVICE

ANEW depot will be opened at Darlington.on May 11 by J: Palmer and Son (Tyres), Ltd. A film show and talk on Tyrex tyre cord will be given at the opening by Courtaulds, Ltd.

J. Palmer now have branches at Leeds, Hull and Darlington. Tyre service, both day and night, is given over 100 miles of the Great North Road from the Darlington and Leeds depots.