§ 6. Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will restrict the length of any stretch of motorway or trunk road dual carriageway which may be blocked off at any one time for the purpose of repair, maintenance or reconstruction.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Department's policy is to keep as much carriageway as possible open during essential repairs. But as each repair is different, it is not possible to devise a general rule.
§ Mr. HooleyIs the Minister aware that huge stretches of motorway and dual carriageway are frequently coned off when no work is taking place, and that this causes great delay and is highly dangerous? Will he consult the contractors and the police with a view to ending that practice?
§ Mr. ClarkeCertainly stretches of road are often coned off when motorists can see no reason for it. The reason is often, for instance, that concrete takes some time to set, or that considerable amounts of minor debris remain on the road—[Interruption.] The Opposition clearly have greater expertise in these matters than those who set out the cones. The cones cannot just be removed as soon as the bulldozers have gone. One must be satisfied that the road is in a safe condition before traffic can be allowed on it.
§ Mr. Maxwell-HyslopIs my hon. and learned Friend aware that for many months, if not a full year, the first section of the M4 out of London has been closed every night? How much longer may we expect that to continue? It cannot be because the concrete has not set, as the road is in use during the day.
§ Mr. ClarkeThe M4 is a heavily used road. Any work upon it therefore causes particular disruption. I am afraid that we must accept that, as enormous lengths of motorways of this kind are now reaching the age of 20 years and more, there will be a continuing programme of maintenance work. For our part, we are seeking to keep unavoidable delays to the absolute minimum.