§ Mr. HigginsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Worthing on 20 June, whether he will take steps to ensure that the county council officials responsible for delaying the traffic on the M23 on 11 June to use a deflectograph machine are no longer employed on his Department's work; why it was considered necessary to undertake the work at short notice; what cost saving was achieved by employing the machine at that particular time; who owns the machine used; and what factors led to the conclusion that similar weather conditions were unlikely to prevail at a time when traffic was not heavy.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe county council is being asked for a report. I shall write to my right hon. Friend.
§ Mr. HigginsTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer to the right hon.768W Member for Worthing of 20 June, what information he has, in respect of the measurements of the road surface of the M23 on 11 June, as to when the police were first informed by the county council of its intention to carry out the work; what conclusions were reached as a result of the measurements; what action has been taken as a result of measuring the condition of the road; and when he expects a review by his Department of traffic flow maintenance.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleySurrey county council and the police first discussed the programme for the measurements on 26 April. The police were informed at 11.30 am on 10 June of the work to be done on the following day. The information obtained will take some weeks to analyse. It is needed to decide the structural treatment required during future major maintenance works. We are considering more generally what further steps might be taken to improve traffic flows in connection with maintenance works.