§ Mr. RoweTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what will be the peak hour capacity of the Hollingbourne-Ashford stretch of the M20 when it is completed;
(2) when he estimates peak hour capacity on the Hollingbourne-Ashford stretch of the M20 will be reached.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyMotorways are designed for the average daily traffic predicted 15 years after opening. Peak hour flows are just one of the factors taken into account when designing the appropriate carriageway standard.
Average flows of 80,000 to 100,000 vehicles a day are not uncommon on dual three-lane motorways and can be accommodated comfortably. The current forecasts for the Hollingbourne-Ashford section of the M20 in the design year 2005 are 35,000 to 40,000 vehicles a day.