§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what percentage of the additional traffic flow generated by M25 widening in 2005 and 2010 will be accounted for by Heathrow Terminal 5 traffic in the Government's projections; [47884]
(2) what is the current projection of traffic volumes and speeds in the western sector of the M25 in 2005 if, (a) neither Terminal 5 nor the M25 enlargement takes place, (b) Terminal 5 is built and the M25 remains at its present width, (c) Terminal 5 is not built and the M25 in widened and (d) Terminal 5 is built and the M25 is widened. [47883]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonI have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from David York to Dr. Vincent Cable, dated 6 July 1998:
The Transport Minister, Glenda Jackson, has asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about traffic flows on the M25. In his absence, I am writing on his behalf.The information you ask for is not available for the year 2005. However, figures were made available at the T5 inquiry, for the target year 2003 and, with factoring where necessary, lead to the following:
- (a) No M25 widening or T5: 8,500 vph and 63 kph.
- (b) T5 built, no M25 widening: not assessed.
- (c) M25 widened, No T5: 10,100 vph and 77 kph.
334 - (d)M25 widened and T5 constructed: 10,300 vph and 74 kph.
These figures relate to M25 J13–14 northbound in the a.m. peak hour.In answer to your second question, if T5 is connected to the widened motorway, we estimate that it will increase traffic on M25 J13–14 by 2% in 2003. This is taken into account as appropriate in answer to your first question. No figures exist for 2010, but those for 2016 estimate that by then the volume of traffic on the M25 J13–14 will be the same whether or not T5 is built because of the motorway's capacity.