HL Deb 10 May 1999 vol 600 cc131-2WA
Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the assertion by the Highways Agency in the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 22 April (WA 167) that the bus, coach and taxi lane between Junction 3 and the elevated section of the M.4 motorway will reduce the operating costs of buses, coaches and taxis, what is their estimate of the reduction in car journeys arising from the provision of the bus, coach and taxi lane between Junction 3 and the elevated section of the M.4 motorway. [HL2297]

Lord Whitty:

The Highways Agency anticipates that in the short term any reduction in the number of car journeys on this section of the M.4 will be small. To check this it is undertaking traffic surveys before and after the introduction of the bus lane and this will include counts of the number of cars and measurement of their journey times. It will also be checking traffic flows on other routes to check whether any traffic has diverted from the motorway.

Its hope, which I share, is that in the medium term the reduction in, and increased reliability of, bus and coach journey times will encourage a number of drivers to switch from using their cars.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the assertion by the Highways Agency in the Written Answer by Lord Whitty on 22 April (WA 167) that the bus, coach and taxi lane between Junction 3 and the elevated section of the M.4 motorway will reduce the operating costs of buses, coaches and taxis, whether road safety will be improved or worsened by the provision of the bus, coach and taxi lane between Junction 3 and the elevated section of the M.4 motorway. [HL2298]

Lord Whitty:

The Highways Agency forecasts that the combination of the reduced speed limits, revised signing and road markings and the installation of the bus lane will reduce accidents on the eastbound carriageway between Junction 3 and the elevated section of the M.4 motorway by about 20 per cent.