§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest position relating to major road works on the MI motorway ; and when he expects the main 70-mile section between London and the Coventry turn-off to be relatively free from lane closures.
§ Mrs. ChalkerIn the financial year 1982–83 we shall be carrying out a large programme of major works on the M1 motorway, but they will not be carried out at more than five separate sites at any one time. As extensive repairs are now needed between junction 1 near London and junction 17, the Coventry turn-off, there will have to be some lane closures for several years. We have a separate scheme in progress to widen the two-lane section of M1 between junctions 5 and 8 in Hertfordshire for which the contract specifies that two lanes must be kept open in each direction at all times of day. This scheme should be complete in the autumn of 1983.