HC Deb 19 May 1988 vol 133 cc522-3W
Mr. Adley

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the reasons why he has sanctioned the construction of additional lanes on the M25; what are the hours of day at which congestion reaches saturation point on those stretches; and if he will tabulate for a typical 24-hour period on a week day the level of traffic on this section of the motorway, taking the heaviest period as 100.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Fourth lanes in each direction are being provided between junctions 11 and 13 to relieve congestion, particularly during peak hours.

The Department does not normally measure journey times or queue lengths, which vary from day to day according to conditions. Traffic flows on a typical 24-hour week day between junctions 11 and 12 are as follows:—

Hours Hourly flow Prop. of peak
1 667 6.64
2 309 3.07
3 238 2.37
4 219 2.18
5 319 3.17
6 897 8.93
7 3,306 32.92
8 8,809 87.74
9 9,298 92.60
10 8,773 87.38
11 8,670 86.35
12 7,361 73.31
13 6,435 64.10
14 6,294 62.68
15 6,672 66.45
16 7,371 73.41
17 8,671 86.36
18 10,040 100.00
19 9,146 91.10
20 5,816 57.92
21 3,328 33.14
22 2,282 22.72
23 1,854 18.46
24 1,521 15.14

Total 24 Hour Flow =118,300.

Annual Average Daily Flow= 117,900.