§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total cost since 29 February to the sheriffs of enforcing eviction orders against protestors camped on the route of the Newbury bypass; and how much of this cost is expected to be recovered from the protestors who have been evicted. [21270]
§ Mr. WattsI have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Rendel, dated 19 March 1996:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the costs incurred by the Sheriff in evicting protestors from the route of the Newbury Bypass.
No figures are yet available but the costs are not expected to be recovered from protestors. Costs orders awarded by the courts against defendants only cover the legal expense of bringing the action to court, not the Sheriff's costs.
§ Sir Peter FryTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the levels of congestion which would apply to the A34 around Newbury by(a) 2005 and (b) 2015 if the current bypass project was not constructed. [20895]
§ Mr. WattsI have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Peter Fry, dated 19 March 1996:
The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the levels of congestion which would apply to the A34 around Newbury by (a) 2005 and (b) 2015 if the current by-pass project was not being constructed.
The existing Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADF) flows on the A34 Inner Relief Road in Newbury are approximately 50,000 vehicles per day and this already results in significant congestion during weekday peaks and at times during summer weekends. Within these periods the road operates close to its maximum capacity. Conditions for long distance through traffic are generally very poor and intolerable at times. The overall level of service is very low.
101WThe levels of congestion that would arise in the future without the bypass would be very much worse. It is difficult to quantify just how bad conditions would become because the exact level of congestion would depend on many factors including the general growth in travel demand, changing driver behaviour and the capacity of the A34.
The ultimate carrying capacity of an urban road over a whole day depends on many factors. These include the urban nature of the road, the proportion of heavy vehicles, the effects of junctions and their capacities, the interaction of local and longer distance through traffic, the variation in traffic flows throughout the day and how traffic demand spreads from peak to off peak periods.
The capacity also depends on the interaction of these factors which is complex. It is therefore very difficult to state a precise daily flow which represents the maximum flow the A34 could carry. In theory there is some scope for traffic flows to increase above existing levels outside the peak periods. But in practice, this would require a significant change in driver behaviour for instance travelling in the relatively less busy parts of the day.
Any increase in flow would of course mean very much more serious congestion, for longer and longer periods than happens now, and a very poor level of service. In practice the very worst conditions that are experienced now would become a normal event; stop-start driving conditions through the town would extend over much of the working day. These conditions are likely to occur within the next five to ten years if there is significant growth in traffic levels.
In the long term, traffic flows and congestion levels are much more difficult to assess. Our traffic forecasts go as far as 2010, the design year for the bypass. These imply very serious congestion on the A34 if nothing is done. We have not attempted to forecast the flows beyond 2010. The table below shows flows on the A34 within Newbury without the Bypass.
Year A34 Inner Relief Road Low growth High growth 2005 61,000 70,000 2010 65,000 78,000 The flows given are Annual Average Daily Traffic for low and high growth.
I think it is also worth pointing out that congestion, as well as being a serious problem in terms of the delays and disruption to traffic, also leads to a significant environmental impact; heavy queuing traffic wastes fuel, causes greater air pollution and spoils the environment for the local community in Newbury.