47. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the danger arising from vehicles entering motorways from approach roads, he will close some of the 10 entrances and exits in the 23 mile length of the M4 from London to prevent the road being used for very short distances.
Mr. Bob BrownNo, Sir. There is no evidence of undue risk at these specially designed accesses, and to close any of them would force traffic back on to the heavily loaded roads which the motorway was designed to relieve.
Mr. Gresham CookeDoes the Minister agree that there is an exit or 12 entrance at distances of under 2½ miles all the way down the first 23 miles of the M4? Local traffic is bobbing in and out, and the whole object of having a three-lane motorway out of London to the West is being hindered by local traffic.
Mr. BrownI cannot accept that. The M4 was specifically designed to by-pass Slough and Maidenhead. If we were to close any of the entrances to it we should throw the major weight back on to the A4, which would defeat the object of the expenditure on the motorway.