Clause 57 - Orders of the Greater London Authority changing what are strategic roads
Traffic Management Bill
5:15 pm
Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch, Conservative)
Perhaps the Minister will explain more about the Government's thinking on the clause. There is much concern among London boroughs that they could find roads that they regard as their local roads being taken away from them and transferred to the Mayor and Transport for London, without their consent. As somebody who served in local government when we had a Greater London council, I remember vividly the tension between the residents of Wandsworth and the GLC when the GLC tried to interfere with local highways.
We have a set of strategic roads, which were put together in the context of the establishment of the GLA, the detrunking of roads and the transfer from the Highways Agency to the GLA. We also have red routes, which are working effectively, although even they were a cause of tension between the traffic director and the boroughs. If the Government have it in mind to allow the Mayor to put in a bid to take over large areas of the highways that have traditionally been the responsibility of the elected borough, now is the time to be clear about that. We shall see what the reaction will be. London authorities are not alert to the danger posed, probably because the Government have not made a policy announcement. I hope that the Minister will make a short announcement about his intentions today.