§ 32. Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is now in a position to announce a decision on the location of the motorway service areas for the M25.
78W
§ Mrs. ChalkerFollowing the publication on 27 July 1983 of the consultative document entitled "Motorway Service Areas for the M25", I received 143 responses from interested parties which showed only minor disagreement with the strategy for four MSAs on this important orbital route.
The site at South Mimms remains the focal point of the M25 strategy. Some facilities already exist there, primarily for lorries, which will be improved and extended to cater for cars. The previously proposed site close to the southern entrance to the Dartford tunnel has not proved practicable, but a suitable alternative eastern site has been found at Thurrock, near to the tunnel's northern entrance and away from the toll plaza. On the southern side of the M25, a suitable location has been identified at Clacket lane, near Westerham, and in the west we are examining with British Rail the possibility of developing a site at Iver in parallel with a proposed "park and ride" station. All four MSAs will incorporate picnic areas.
I shall be sending to the local planning and highway authorities copies of Atkins Planning Consultants report on the sites for the two service areas to the west and south of London which, together with locations selected at South Mimms and Thurrock, complete the four needed for the M25. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.
To provide facilities on the existing radial motorway network joining the M25, service areas are also planned for the M11 at Birchanger (M11/Al20) and the M4 near Reading—2 miles east of junction 12.
After consultation with the authorities concerned, I intend to seek planning clearance in the immediate future. My main concern is to ensure that the needs of the travelling public are met with the least possible environmental intrusion. Developers will be required to landscape MSAs to a very high standard and to submit designs for buildings to the Royal Fine Art Commission.