§ Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions in the last six weeks traffic on the M1 motorway has been brought to a complete standstill as a result of an accident or breakdown of a vehicle inside the contra-flow system between junctions in Buckinghamshire and Befordshire; and what steps he intends to take to introduce a traffic management scheme less vulnerable to such disruption.
§ Mr. ChalkerThe only closures in the period in question were, regrettably, the result of fatal accidents on 26 June and 21 July in the contra-flow system near junction 10 in Bedfordshire. No contra-flow systems were in use at the time in Buckinghamshire. Our systems for traffic management during maintenance are continuously reviewed and a number of important improvements have been introduced in recent years.