HC Deb 01 February 1982 vol 17 cc47-8W
Mr. Lamborn

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which sections of motorway have the 10 highest average daily traffic flows; and by how much they exceed the design standard for those sections.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Of those motorway sections on which traffic counts were conducted during 1979 or 1980 the following 10 have the highest estimated average daily flow of vehicles.

Motorway Between Junctions Estimated daily flow
M4 3 and 4 92,800
M62 15 and 17 89,300
M6 8 and 9 83,500
M6 6 and 7 78,000
M4 4 and 5 73,400
M1 7 and 8 71,600
Motorway Between Junctions Estimated daily flow
M62 17 and 18 71,500
M61 1 and 2 69,100
A40M A129 and M41 68,300
M62 19 and 20 65,800

Only the first two of these carry flows exceeding the current design standard of 85,000 vehicles per day.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent his Department uses equipment for the automatic monitoring of the usage of motorways by type of vehicle; and if he will publish the overall results of such monitoring in the Official Report.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

The counting of traffic by type of vehicle is at present undertaken by local government employees. However, arrangements are being made to replace the regular counting for the Department's core census of traffic by automatic monitoring using equipment that will classify vehicles by type. This will involve about 25 automatic sites on motorways.

Full details of the Regular monitoring of traffic are published annually in "Transport Statistics Great Britain", which is available in the Library.

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