HC Deb 06 June 1989 vol 154 cc110-1W
Mr. John Browne

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the latest available summer and winter five-day and seven-day traffic flows for the M3/A33 route between Popham and the M27, for the following sections(a) Popham-Easton Lane, (b) Easton Lane-Bar End, (c) Bar End-Hockley, (d) Hockley-Compton, (e) Compton-Chandlers Ford and (f) Chandlers Ford-M27; and if he will list the peak hour flows for each direction separately for each section.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Information is not available on summer and winter traffic flows.

The estimated Annual Average Daily Flows (24 hours) for all motor vehicles for 1987 are as follows:

All days Weekdays
Popham-Easton Lane M3 19,300 20,500
Popham-Easton Lane A33 26,700 27,400
Easton Lane-Bar End A33 41,800 42,700
Bar End-Hockley A33 54,600 55,500
Hockley-Compton A33 54,500 56,100
Compton-Chandlers Ford A33 46,500 46,800
Chandlers Ford-M27 A33 25,600 25,700

There are limited data on peak flows. The information relates to May 1987 and is for combined directions, as follows.

AM peak PM peak
Popham-Easton Lane M3 2,948 2,954
Easton Lane A33 918 924
Bar End Road A33 1,204 1,119
Morestone Road A33 835 783
Compton-Chandlers Ford A33 5,116 4,777

Mr. John Browne

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what length of the M3-A33 between Popham and the M27 is currently equipped with sensors in the carriageway lanes to detect queues and incidents; what is the spacing of these sensors; whether they indicate speeds of traffic; and for what length of road CCTV can be used to verify queueing or incidents.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

Three queue detectors are provided at 500 m intervals on the southbound carriageway of the A33 between Bar End and Hockley. They are connected to a "Queue Ahead" sign 1.3 km north of Hockley traffic lights and a speed detector 2 km north of the traffic lights, which detects speeds above 50 mph.

CCTV cameras are sited at junction 9 on the M3 with an approximate viewing distance of 2 km north and south, and at A33 Hockley traffic lights viewing 1 km north and 300–400 m south. The camera at Hockley can also view traffic approaching A33 on the A333 (Ghost Corner) and B3335 Twyford with a viewing distance on the side roads of about 75 m.