§ 61. Mr. Roseasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now encourage the building of additional service and restaurant areas on the M1 and M6 motorways.
§ Mr. SpeedService area requirements on these and all other motorways are under constant review. On the M1 a new service area is programmed to open early in 1974 at Rothersthorpe. On the M6 facilities at Tebay West are programmed to open later this month and at South-waite nextmonth.
§ 89. Mr. Cockeramasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions he has given to contractors carrying out repairs to the surface of motorways so far as the closure of two 310W lanes of a three-lane motorway are concerned.
§ Mr. SpeedNone, except to the extent that instructions are contained in contract documents prepared by agent authorities and have regard to local conditions.
§ Mr. Hall-Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will put in hand studies of the best ways of guiding vehicles on motorways into two-lane and single lane flows to ensure the minimum delay to traffic when repairs to the carriageway are in progress.
§ Mr. SpeedThe Transport and Road Research Laboratory has such studies in hand. Interim results will be available within the next few weeks. The full results will be published at a future date when evaluation is complete. I am writing to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Hall-Davisasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give guidance to highway authorities on the best ways of controlling traffic so as to minimise delays when road repairs are in progress.
§ Mr. SpeedGuidance is already contained in the Traffic Safety Code for Roadworks and in recently issued pamphlets based on chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual which will be published shortly. Additionally, interim advice based on new departmental work will be available within the next few weeks. I am writing to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Proud footasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of central crash barriers are now installed; and if he will give a date for completion of them for the whole motorway system.
§ Mr. SpeedAt the end of January, 1972, approximately 300 miles of central reserve safety barrier had been erected. I am in the course of collecting from the responsible authorities information to bring this figure up to date. The current programme of work is due for completion in 1974 when over 1,000 miles of motorway will be so equipped.