HC Deb 15 February 1989 vol 147 cc209-10W
Mr. Greg Knight

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why two lanes of the northbound carriageway of the M1 motorway were closed to vehicular traffic on 20 January in the vicinity of junction 2.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The closures were necessary, for safety reasons, to replace worn cats eyes. The work was over by 3 pm before the evening peak.

Mr. Greg Knight

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, due to the large volume of traffic attempting to leave London and travel north on Fridays, he will consider restricting maintenance work on the northbound carriageway of the M 1 motorway to emergency workings only on such days.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Wherever possible to already avoid peak period working. It is not practical to remove traffic management controls, such as contraflows, on Fridays when major maintenance works are in progress.

Further major maintenance work on the M1 is planned later this year in Bedfordshire.