§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Transport what studies he has made of the damage to motorways caused by (a) lorry and (b) private car traffic.
§ Mr. RidleyThe Transport and Road Research Laboratory has for many years studied and reported on the effects of damage to road pavement caused by lorries and private car traffic. The most recent TRRL laboratory report is LR.979: "Relative damaging power of wheel382W loads in mixed traffic" (1981), a copy of which has been deposited in the House of Commons Library. Also, my Department keeps the condition of motorway's under regular surveillance; this provides data on the damaging effects of traffic generally.