§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regular meetings take place and at what intervals, between representatives of his Department and those of all London boroughs concerned with traffic management and the avoidance of congestion; if representatives of the Metropolitan police are present; if agendas, minutes, or reports of any such meetings are sent to any elected persons in Greater London; and if he will place any such documents relating to the year 1988 in the Library.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyAll London borough councils are invited to send an elected member and an official to the annual meeting of the London advisory consultative committee. This meeting provides a forum for all the London local authorities to discuss specific traffic and highway issues of concern to the capital. Representatives of the Metropolitan police are not present at these meetings. An agenda is circulated prior to the meeting and councils are invited to suggest appropriate items for discussion. A note of the meeting is prepared and sent to 795W the borough representatives. I will arrange for a copy of the note of the meeting held on 2 February to be placed in the Library.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he possesses concerning the incidence of major traffic congestion in Greater London; what information he receives from the Metropolitan police, London Regional Transport, or other statutory bodies or services; and what is the approximate proportion of major incidents of congestion that have as their principal or contributory cause(a) demonstrations, (b) official events, (c) accidents, (d) vehicle breakdowns, (e) roadworks, (f) illegal parking, (g) traffic light failure, and (h) shed loads.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyRecords are not maintained of the incidence and causes of individual traffic jams in London. Day-to-day traffic control is a matter for the Metropolitan police.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information is available to him, hon. Members and the public, respectively, concerning traffic flows, measured in pcus per hour for varied periods in each day along principal vehicular thoroughfares in Greater London; at how many locations measurements of such flows are regularly made; and what public body is currently responsible for such measurements, and for their collation and publication; (2) what sets of figures or maps are available to him which show the maximum design flow in pcu per hour of each of the major traffic thoroughfares in Greater London, as limited by key intersections; and if he will place any such figures or maps in the Library.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe information on design flow held centrally is incomplete and could only be made available at disproportionate cost.
The Department of Transport conducts a range of traffic surveys to monitor road traffic conditions in London, and undertakes analysis and distribution of results. Estimates of vehicle flow are made for each length of major road between intersections and with other class A or motorway standard roads. There are about 1,600 individual links in all.
Summary information in the form of maps for the Strategic London Road Network of trunk and designated roads is published in "Transport Statistics Great Britain
Passenger Traffic in Greater London (millions) LRT Bus Passenger Journeys1 LRT Underground BR Central Stations2 Passenger Journeys Passenger Miles Passengers Arriving Passengers Departing 1983 1,090 563 2,700 162 157 1984 — — — 165 159 1984–85 1,160 672 3,340 — — 1985 — — — 169 166 1985–86 1,153 732 3,710 — — 1986 — — — 180 177 1986–87 1,165 769 3,862 — — 1987 — — — 194 188 1987–88 1,286 798 3,888 — — 1 Includes some journeys outside the Greater London area. 2 Includes some Inter-City passengers. Further information on passenger traffic in London is given in "Transport Statistics for London" published yesterday. A copy is available in the Library.
796W1976–1986" and for major roads in the vicinity of the M25 in "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1977–1987". Copies are in the Library.
Estimates for individual links are based upon a small sample and therefore subject to appreciable margins of error. A standard one-page report is produced for each link, available on request from the Department of Transport, STC5, room A6.29, Romney house, 43 Marsham street, London. A charge is made to cover handling and computer retrieval costs. Where appropriate the results can be provided on microfiche or other media.
The report gives estimates of annual average flows for weekdays between 7 am and 7 pm, weekdays between 6 am and 10 pm, weekdays for the 24-hour day, and for the full week 24-hour day.
Separate estimates of flow are given for pedal cycles, motor cycles, cars, and taxis, buses and coaches, light goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, and all motor vehicles. Heavy goods vehicles are further classified as rigids or articulated and by the numbers of axles.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library any map or diagram in his possession which shows the current approximate flows in persons per hour, at the peak evening or morning hour, of all passenger-carrying railways in Greater London, or wider area.
§ Mr. PortilloInformation of the kind requested will be included in the report of the central London rail study, which is to be published shortly. I will then send the hon. Member a copy.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table to show the estimated or actual level of passenger traffic within the Greater London area for each year from 1983 to 1988 which shall include for each year (a) passenger journeys by bus services operated under the auspices of London Regional Transport, (b) passengers carried and passenger miles. respectively, travelled on railways currently operated by London Underground Limited, and (c) the number of passengers arriving and departing at (i) central London stations of the British Railways Board and (ii) through other stations within the Greater London, or similar area.
§ Mr. PortilloEstimates are as follows:
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask th Secretary of State for Transport what information he possesses concerning the current number of(a) work and (b) non-work journeys 797W made on a normal weekday within the Greater London area and the approximate proportion of each made principally by (i) car, (ii) bus or coach and (iii) rail.
§ Mr. PortilloEstimates from the 1985–86 national travel survey are as follows:
Average number of journeys made in London on a weekday Work Journeys Non-work Journeys1 Number (millions) per. cent. Number (millions) per. cent. Car 3.0 42 5.3 35 Bus/Coach 0.7 10 1.6 11 Rail 1.5 22 0.6 4 Walk2 1.2 17 7.1 47 Other 0.6 9 0.5 3 Total 7.0 100 15.1 100 1 Non-work journeys by London residents only. 2 Excluding walk journeys of less than 50 yards.