HC Deb 05 May 1993 vol 224 cc156-7W
Mr. Peter Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the total amount of subsidy to bus operations in each of the past 20 years.

Mr Freeman

The information requested is shown in the table. Revenue support figures for the years prior to 1977–78 are not shown as they could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

The current standards for safety zones have been in force for many years, although compliance may have improved following publication of the revised chapter 8 of the Department's traffic signs manual in May 1991. The number and length of lane closures have depended on the maintenance requirements at any particular time, and the volume of traffic which had to be accommodated in the open lanes.

Mr. Fry

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department take where motorway repairs and improvements are done under lane rental contracts to prevent excessive delays caused by long sections of road being affected at any one time.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

Lane rental provides a particular incentive for contractors to minimise the duration of lane closures, but all our motorway repairs and improvements are carefully planned and co-ordinated to minimise delays to road users, regardless of the form of contract used. We normally require that roadworks on motorways be spaced at least 10 km apart, and our contractors are instructed that no more than 4 km of carriageway should be coned off on any scheme at any time. Traffic management layouts are individually designed, and techniques continuously refined, to maximise the capacity of the lanes available and smooth the flow of traffic through the works.

Mr. Fry

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the length of delays to traffic at the roadworks between junctions 28 and 29 on the M 1 motorway currently taking place; and what steps can be taken to reduce them.

Mr. Kenneth Carlisle

Major maintenance, including strengthening and resurfacing, is necessary to the M 1 between junctions 28 and 29 in Derbyshire. Lane restrictions are an essential safety measure to protect the workforce and road users. This section of the M 1 carries 90,000 vehicles a day. With that level of traffic, Iane restrictions will unfortunately cause a degree of disruption, particularly at peak times. To mitigate the effect on traffic, the work is being carried out under a lane rental contract which allows the contractor to work throughout the day and night, seven days a week, to encourage early completion. Through the national and local media road users have been kept advised of the work, so that they can consider making alternative arrangements if that is possible. I am, of course, sorry for the inconvenience that has been caused to people using this part of the MI, but the work is programmed for completion on 20 May.