§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to take action over the increasing scale of heavy lorry traffic in London.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMost of London's lorry traffic is concerned with collecting and delivering goods within London. I understand that the inquiry on the effects of possible lorry bans, set up by the GLC and chaired by Mr. Derek Wood, will be reporting shortly. Completion of the London outer orbital M25, as a top priority in the Government's road programme, is a major step towards relieving London of through traffic, especially goods vehicles plying to and from the continent. Dover is already linked via the M25 to the M11, and the link between the M11 and the A1 will be open later this year. The Government have introduced a package of measures aimed at reducing lorry nuisance generally. This includes encouraging the GLC and other local highway authorities to designate certain roads as lorry routes and to introduce lorry bans in sensitive residential and shopping areas. The Government have also brought forward regulations for making the lorries themselves safer and quieter.