§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals there are to(a) provide additional motorway service areas and (b) extend existing motorway service areas; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Government's strategic programme for the provision of new motorway service areas (MSAs) is as follows:
- M4 Reading area
- M11 Birchanger J8
- M18 Hatfield J4–5
- M20 Hollingbourne J8; Westenhanger J11
- M25 Thurrock J30–31; Clacket Lane J5–6; Iver J15–16
- M27 Meon J9–10
- M40 Ardley; Barn Hill; Stokenchurch area
- M42 Tamworth J10; Solihull area
- M54 Telford J4
- M56 Hapsford J14
- Birmingham Northern Relief Road
Completion of the new MSAs depends on success in obtaining planning clearance and acquiring the land.
In addition, we are considering the possibilities of MSAs to serve the proposed Blackburn southern bypass and the proposed Birmingham western orbital.
All these MSAs are to be developed by competitive tender, enabling the private sector to play a full and active part and in conformity with Government policy which I reaffirmed in this House on 17 March at columns 372–73.
The increase in the road building programme announced in the "Roads for Prosperity" White Paper, coupled with the new national road traffic forecasts which are shortly to be published in full, will require additional provision of MSAs, including:
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- new MSAs for new motorways;
- modifications to some of the proposals in the existing programme, to accommodate motorway widening and increased traffic;
- modification of existing MSAs, to accommodate motorway widening and increased traffic; and
- expansion of facilities at MSAs on unwidened motorways to cope with increased traffic.
Assessment on these lines is under way but will take some time to complete.
In addition, we continue to assess plans by operators of existing MSAs for extensions to their facilities or sites.