HC Deb 30 July 1971 vol 822 c178W
Mr. Prescott

asked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he is taking to withdraw the British Admiralty charts covering the English Channel presently available for purchase and use by mariners which show the arrowed recommended west-bound separation route passing through the wreck mark of the Varne shoal.

Mr. Kirk

No action will be taken to withdraw these charts. The arrows show only the general direction of traffic flow through the route, which is 2½ miles wide, and provides ample room for avoiding the wrecks. So long as the route continues to be recommended for use by westbound traffic, it will continue to be shown as such on the charts. The route and the arrows marking it will be deleted from the charts only if it should be decided to suspend it as a recommended route.

Mr. Prescott

asked the Minister of State for Defence what action he is taking to adopt the recent International Maritime Consultative Organisation recommendation that the use of single line arrowed separation route systems as used in the British Admiralty charts covering the English Channel should be replaced by the dispersal of arrows indicating separation routes.

Mr. Kirk

Minor modifications to increase the dispersal of arrows will be made to the charts where this is practicable. In the critical area off Folkestone advance notice of these modifications will be promulgated by Notice to Mariners