§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Dartford tunnel joint committee about the need for a third tunnel at Dartford to avoid congestion on the M25 motorway; and what reply he has given.
§ Mrs. ChalkerNone, although the Dartford tunnel joint committee has been in touch with the Department more generally about traffic forecasts for the tunnel. Our monitoring of traffic growth on the M25 so far shows no sign of an increase in tunnel capacity being necessary for the foreseeable future.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the number of vehicles using the Dartford tunnel each day when the M25 is completed; and what reduction he anticipates if the east London river crossing is built.
§ Mrs. ChalkerUp to about 80,000 vehicles daily are expected to be using the Dartford tunnel on completion of the M25 in late 1986. That figure is certain to rise in subsequent years but it is not expected to exceed the tunnel's improved capacity of up to 100,000 vehicles per day on completion of the enlarged toll plaza in 1985.
The purpose of the east London river crossing is to provide a better connection between the north circular and the A2 trunk roads as part of a coherent network for longer distance traffic within London. When built, however, we estimate that the crossing may attract up to 15 per cent. of the traffic which would otherwise use the Dartford tunnel.