HC Deb 16 January 1989 vol 145 cc87-8W
33. Mr. Wood

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to build new motorways to a higher standard.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Standards for the construction of all truck roads are kept under continual review. Improvements are introduced wherever justified on grounds of safety or value for money.

The new requirements for the structural design of road pavements published in December 1987 and several of the measures announced on 7 April 1988, following the motorway safety review, will improve the standard of new motorways.

41. Mr. Allen McKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his plans to improve traffic movements on the motorway system.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

We are continuing to improve and develop the motorway and trunk road network. Our road programme includes 36 improvement schemes designed to improve the flow of traffic on motorways. The majority of these are junction improvements and widening schemes on existing motorways.

Motorway schemes in programme: at 1 December 1988 Under construction:

  • NWRO
  • M62 Eastbound, climbing lane, junctions 21–22
  • M63 Stretford-Eccles, stages 1 and 2 (Barton Bridge opened 20 December 1988)
  • M63 Stretford-Eccles, stage 4
  • M63/66 Poortwood-Denton
  • SERO
  • M25 Widening junctions 11–13
  • WMRO
  • M5 Lobshill-Lydiate Arch and M42 north turn
  • M40 Bonsbury BP
  • M40 Warwick section
  • YHRO
  • M62 Westbound climbing lane, west of junction 25
  • In preparation:
  • ERO
  • M1 Climbing lane, junction 5

  • M11 North facing slip road, junction 5
  • M40 Widening junctions 4–5
  • LRO
  • M4 Junction 4 improvement and M1 junction 1
  • NWRO
  • M6 Widening junctions 20–21a
  • M6 Widening junctions 30–31
  • M6 Improvement junctions 31–32
  • M62 Widening junctions 12–18
  • M66 Denton-Middleton
  • M65–M6 Blackburn Southern BP
  • A74 Carlisle-Scottish Border
  • A6(M) Stockport N/S By-pass
  • SERO
  • M2 Widening junctions 1–3
  • M3 Bar End-Compton
  • M3 Compton-Bassett widening
  • M3 Widening junctions 2–3
  • M4 Widening junctions 8/9—M25
  • M4 Free flow links at junctions 8/9
  • M20 Maidstone-Ashford
  • M20 Maidstone BP widening
  • M40 Waterstock-Wendlebury
  • WMRO
  • M5 Widening junctions 6–8
  • M40 Gaydon section
  • A446(M) Birmingham northern relief road
  • YHRO
  • M1 Junction 34 Roundabout improvement
  • M18 Junction with B6094 Cockhill Lane