M25 (Hansard, 24 April 1989)

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) the lengths of the M25 for which his Department gave assurances, or made public statements, at public inquiries or elsewhere, that they would not be lit, (b) the lengths in miles and the standard of the motorway affected and (c) for which of these sections lighting is now being planned.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
No undertakings were given at public inquiries that sections of the M25 would not be lit at some future date, but undertakings were given that the following three sections would not be lit at the outsetThe section between junctions 3 and 5, Swanley to Sevenoaks, 8.6 miles dual 3 lane; the section between junctions 8 and 10, Reigate—Leatherhead—Wisley, 13.3 miles dual 3 lane; and the section between junctions 18 and 19 at Chorleywood 3.1 miles dual 3 lane.
The section between junctions 18 and 19 at Chorleywood may have lighting installed this year. The need for lighting on remaining unlit sections is being considered as part of the M25 review currently in progress.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those lengths of the M25 and adjacent motorway sections on which there are sensors to measure average traffic speed and detect incidents and unstable flow; how far apart the sensors are located; whether they are placed in all lanes; for which sections they can give an indication of average speed, and average hourly flow per lane; and if he will give the current average peak-hour and off-peak speed, for all lanes averaged, for those sections so monitored.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
The equipment currently in operation measures traffic flows. It does not measure average traffic speeds (which are surveyed separately) or detect incidents or unstable flow. An incident detection system is soon to be commissioned on the approach to and within the Holmesdale and Bell Common tunnels. This will use sensors at 500 m intervals, with a threshold alarm, to warn the police of slow moving traffic queues. The need for wider use of automatic incident detection equipment is being considered in the review of the motorway.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of the M25 can, in practice, be observed by a closed-circuit television camera for incident verification, and guidance to emergency services when an incident is being handled on the motorway; what M25 interchanges are currently covered by closed-circuit television; and how many miles of the M25 main carriageways can be observed by these cameras.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is being provided on M25 in accordance with a 443W departmental standard which defines the "Criteria for the provision of CCTV on motorways". At present CCTV coverage is available to the police at the Homesdale and Bell Common tunnels and at junctions 15, 20 to 23, 25 to 27. Contracts have been let which will progressively extend this CCTV coverage to almost all M25 junctions by the summer of 1990.
The carriageway mileage which can be observed by the cameras cannot be quoted since their range varies at each individual location depending upon physical positioning, geographical topography and the weather at any given time.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average response time between an incident occurring on the M25 and(a) its identification and (b) a rescue or breakdown truck reaching the incident, where the vehicles immobilised are blocking one or more lanes of a carriageway.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
This information is not available. Incidents are mainly reported to, or identified by the police via the emergency telephone system, vehicle patrols and the use of closed circuit television at some locations. Response times vary according to the time of day, location and nature of the incident.

Estimates of M25 annual average flows: 1986 and 1987 All motor vehicles: thousands

1986 1987

Link Month of Count 7 day/24 hour 5 day/24 hour 5 day/16 hour Month of Count 7 day/24 hour 5 day/24 hour 5 day/16 hour

1A–1B 6 62 64 61 4 75 80 75

1B–2 6 69 71 67 5 81 83 78

2–3 6 60 66 62 4 70 76 71

3–4 6 48 53 50 4 55 60 57

4–5 6 56 61 58 4 60 65 61

5–6 6 72 78 74 10 76 81 77

6–7 6 79 85 81 10 83 86 81

7–8 6 85 92 87 4 94 100 95

8–9 6 77 83 78 5 84 92 87

9–10 6 77 83 78 5 88 94 88

10–11 6 96 105 99 9 107 113 107

11–12 6 111 1211 114 10 119 126 119

12–13 6 110 119 112 5 121 131 123

13–14 6 112 121 115 5 131 139 131

14–15 6 99 107 101 7 123 129 121

15–16 6 90 97 92 4 119 129 122

16–17 5 79 85 80 5 105 112 106

17–18 6 79 86 82 4 108 115 109

18–19 6 80 87 82 4 114 121 114

19–20 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 4 95 103 98

20–21 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 4 97 106 100

21–22 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 4 79 87 82

22–23 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. 4 89 95 90

23–24 6 56 62 58 5 93 102 96

24–25 6 60 66 62 5 87 95 90

25–26 5 66 71 67 5 84 90 85

26–27 n.a. 64 69 65 n.a. 80 n.a. n.a.

27–28 6 69 76 71 4 88 94 89

28–29 6 62 69 65 5 74 79 74

29–30 n.a. 66 69 57 5 68 75 70

30–31 6 48 53 49 5 61 66 62

31–01 9 68 72 68 5 75 n.a. n.a.

Note: Estimates of average daily flow are not corrected for seasonal effects, so the figures given above are influenced by the month of count. Estimates for 1988 are not yet available.
n.a. Data not available.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the latest available average daily, average weekday, average morning peak-hour and
444W

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, on the existing dual-four lane sections of the M25 between the A30 and the M4, the outermost lane acts as part of the means of carrying through traffic, or as a merge and diverge facility for traffic using the adjacent junctions to this section of the motorway.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
The nearside lanes are signed for use by traffic joining or leaving the motorway at the junctions.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many directional miles of the M25 have specially constructed noise or visual mounds alongside the hard shoulder to mitigate the impact of the motorway.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
There are about 32 miles of specially constructed noise bunds and barriers along the M25.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the average five-day and seven-day traffic flows for both 16-hour and 24-hour days for each section of the M25, and for the Dartford tunnel and approach roads, for(a) 1986 and (b) the latest available year, indicating the month of the count in each case.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
The requested information is as follows:
average evening peak-hour traffic flow entering the M25 at each of the entrance slip roads from other roads or motorways;
445W
(2) if he will list the latest available average daily, average weekday, average morning peak-hour and average evening peak-hour traffic flow leaving the M25 at each of its exit slip roads to other roads or motorways.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
Our consultants conducting the M25 review are obtaining figures of traffic entering or leaving the M25 at each junction to show the average daily Monday-Thursday flow, and the average morning and evening peak flows. These will be available in due course.

§ Mr. Tim Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many patrolling breakdown and rescue trucks are in service on the M25 during normal weekday commuting and working hours(a) on the motorway as a whole and (b) per each 20 directional miles; and who funds and directs the operation and placing of these vehicles.

§ Mr. Peter Bottomley
Dedicated recovery vehicles do not patrol the M25. Recovery vehicles are stationed at major roadworks to deal with accidents and breakdowns within those works. They are also stationed at the Dartford tunnel. Elsewhere, recovery vehicles are summoned by the police, who select them in rotation from a list of local garages. Alternatively, drivers may elect to use their own recovery organisation. Vehicle owners pay for recovery except within major roadworks where the Department provides the service.
We are examining the present arrangements, in consultation with the police and the Department's agent authorities, with the aim of reducing the times for which carriageways are obstructed by accidents and other incidents.

Estimates of M25 annual average flows: 1986 and 1987 All motor vehicles: thousands
	1986	1987
Link	Month of Count	7 day/24 hour	5 day/24 hour	5 day/16 hour	Month of Count	7 day/24 hour	5 day/24 hour	5 day/16 hour
1A–1B	6	62	64	61	4	75	80	75
1B–2	6	69	71	67	5	81	83	78
2–3	6	60	66	62	4	70	76	71
3–4	6	48	53	50	4	55	60	57
4–5	6	56	61	58	4	60	65	61
5–6	6	72	78	74	10	76	81	77
6–7	6	79	85	81	10	83	86	81
7–8	6	85	92	87	4	94	100	95
8–9	6	77	83	78	5	84	92	87
9–10	6	77	83	78	5	88	94	88
10–11	6	96	105	99	9	107	113	107
11–12	6	111	1211	114	10	119	126	119
12–13	6	110	119	112	5	121	131	123
13–14	6	112	121	115	5	131	139	131
14–15	6	99	107	101	7	123	129	121
15–16	6	90	97	92	4	119	129	122
16–17	5	79	85	80	5	105	112	106
17–18	6	79	86	82	4	108	115	109
18–19	6	80	87	82	4	114	121	114
19–20	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	4	95	103	98
20–21	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	4	97	106	100
21–22	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	4	79	87	82
22–23	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	n.a.	4	89	95	90
23–24	6	56	62	58	5	93	102	96
24–25	6	60	66	62	5	87	95	90
25–26	5	66	71	67	5	84	90	85
26–27	n.a.	64	69	65	n.a.	80	n.a.	n.a.
27–28	6	69	76	71	4	88	94	89
28–29	6	62	69	65	5	74	79	74
29–30	n.a.	66	69	57	5	68	75	70
30–31	6	48	53	49	5	61	66	62
31–01	9	68	72	68	5	75	n.a.	n.a.