§ Mr. MuddTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's assumptions on growth in traffic(a) overall and (b) on motorways in percentage terms in 1988–89 over 1987–88.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley(a) The Department of Transport's national road traffic forecasts predict average rates of annual traffic growth over periods of several years; they are not calibrated for year-on-year forecasting. Since the forecasts were made, traffic has grown at about the upper end of the forecast range. Given a continuation of economic growth, recent trends in traffic growth are likely to continue.
(b) The Department does not forecast traffic by road type.