§ 9. Mr. Brockwayasked the Minister of Transport what plans he has to extend the three-lane traffic on each of the dual 1322 roads used by traffic in one direction only on the M.4 between Langley and Maidenhead.
§ Mr. GalbraithWe have no plans for widening to three lanes the present two-lane carriageways on the Slough and Maidenhead bypass sections of the M.4.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs the hon. Gentleman aware of the danger caused by cars overtaking lorries in the outside lane? In view of the fact that the rest of the M.4 is to have a three-lane roadway in each direction, why cannot he, as part of this construction, apply that to this sector where there is very heavy traffic as it is a by-pass to Slough?
§ Mr. GalbraithThe answer is that traffic where there are two lanes is not as heavy as where there are three lanes. In the three-lane part east of Langley we expect that at least 20 per cent. of the traffic will leave for other destinations and not come on to the two-lane part in which the hon. Gentleman is interested.
§ Mr. BrockwayIs not the Minister quite wrong? He says that traffic on other sections will not be so great, but the other sections have not yet been built, and he is talking about expectations.
§ Mr. GalbraithThe hon. Gentleman must realise that before we build roads, we estimate what we think will be the amount of traffic. That is why we build certain sections of a road to a three-lane dimension and other parts such as that in which the hon. Gentleman is interested, as a two-lane road.