§ Mr. Cockeramasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is aware that part of the M6 adjacent to Stafford has been reduced to single line working in a southerly direction owing to surface repairs, and that these repairs have been taking place over the past four months; and for what further period he anticipates this part of the M6 will be reduced to single line working for these repairs;
- (2) if he is aware that 2.2 miles of the M6 in a southbound direction to Stafford is reduced to single line working owing to surface repairs but that 0.5 mile of the closed portion of this motor way is not, nor has been, subject to any repair work; and if he will take steps to reduce the length of this motorway confined to a single lane;
- (3) on whose authority 2.2 miles of the M6 motorway adjacent to Stafford was reduced to single line traffic in the southbound direction on Monday, 5th June; and if he will take steps to ensure
321 that such single line working is restricted to a maximum of one mile at a time; - (4) if he is aware that on Monday, 5th June, there was a queue of vehicles three lanes wide, 2.1 miles in length on the M6 adjacent to Stafford and that it took 39 minutes to progress along these 2.1 miles; and what steps he is taking to ensure that such bottlenecks are reduced.
§ Mr. SpeedTraffic on the M6 in Stafford shire over the past 10 years has necessitated essential resurfacing work by the agent authority, Stafford shire County Council, between junctions 13, 14 and 15.
This work began on 15th March and will be completed on 23rd June. Arrangements for minimising traffic delays, having regard to the safety of motorway users, have been made by Staffordshire Council Council and the police in consultation with my Department.
Access to the site and the necessity to alter road markings often require the closure of two lanes over considerable distance.
I am evaluating the procedures used with a view to applying the experience to further works.
I am writing to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's estimate of the increase of traffic on the M6 motorway between the North Midlands and Manchester as compared with the opening of the route.
§ Mr. SpeedThe route between the North Midlands and Manchester was opened in 1964 and measurements taken on the Cheshire section of M6 show that average traffic flows per day had increased by 90 per cent. between 1964 and 1971.