§ Dr. Marekasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will outline the programme for central safety barriers on motorways and dual carriageways over the next five years.
§ Mrs. ChalkerCentral reserve safety fences will be installed on all new motorways (expected length approximately 180 miles). Details of the motorway programme are given in the "National Roads England 1985" report (published 20 June) copies of which have been placed in the Library. Central reserve safety fences will be provided on new, all-purpose, dual carriageway trunk roads where the annual average daily traffic flow is expected to exceed 30,000 vehicles in the year of opening.
Details of predicted traffic flows on new all purpose dual carriageways are updated regularly. Thus information on the provision of safety fences for these roads is based on changing estimates and cannot be obtained repeatedly without incurring disproportionate costs. I can assure the hon. Member that safety fences will be provided on dual trunk roads whenever justified.