§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to improve the main road route from London to the Christchurch and Lymington areas.
§ Mr. MarksSubject to the completion of the outstanding statutory procedures and to the availability of funds, it is proposed to extend the M3 motorway from Popham to Compton. This will provide much-needed relief to the present A33 trunk road. Authority to upgrade the existing Otterbourne and Chandlers Ford Bypass was given in 1974 but no date for the upgrading has yet been fixed. The M27 motorway from Chilworth to Cadnam was opened last year. Various improvements to the A31 between Cadnam and Ringwood have been completed or are in progress.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has of the number of heavy goods vehicles using the main route for commercial traffic from London to Southampton docks.
§ Mr. MarksInformation is not available in the form requested, but 6,400 heavy goods vehicles were counted over a 16-hour day last month on the A33 near Winchester.
§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the effect on traffic on the A33 south of the M3 since the opening of the M27.
§ Mr. MarksTraffic flows on the Popham-Compton and Compton-Chilworth sections of the A33 are about 12 per cent. and 50 per cent. higher respectively than for the corresponding months last year. Part of this increase is due30W to the opening of the Chilworth-Ower section of the M27 in December 1975.