§ Mr. DobsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total sum paid out in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by his Department in 1979–80 and each year to date; and what is the estimate for 1989–90.
Mr. Peter BottomeleyThe sums involved are as follows:
of about 2,500 vehicles are observed on Saturdays between 5 pm and 6 pm probably as a result of sporting events in the vicinity. The information is not available in terms of passenger car units.
Detailed information on weekend and hourly traffic flows and maximum flow capability along the A13 near the northern entrance of the Blackwall tunnel is not available. Estimates of annual average daily two-way traffic flow, based upon traffic counts taken in 1986 and 1987, are available as follows:
Section All motor vehicles A102M (Blackwall Tunnels) to A1206 (Cotton St.) 52,500 A1206 (Cotton St.) to A1205 (Burden Rd.) 43,500 A1205 (Burdett Rd.) to A101 (Rotherhithe Tunnel approaches) 35,500 Traffic flows on Saturday and Sunday are generally below the average for the whole week.
The capacity of an all-purpose urban road depends on a number of factors including traffic pattern and composition, junctions, access, bus lanes, numbers of pedestrians, etc., and it is not possible to give a maximum figure.
The traffic signals at the A13/Blackwall northern approach road were adjusted to account for the planned closure. The police were able to monitor the junction by closed circuit television and make further adjustments as necessary. No change was made in the phasing of the signals at the Rotherhithe tunnel junction. The closure of the tunnel while an accident was cleared was too short to allow adjustments to be made.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the area of maximum congestion on Saturday and Sunday 4 and 5 March, respectively, occasioned by the closure of the south bound bore of the Blackwall tunnel; and what was the general level of time penalty experienced by travellers on the main east-west and north-south routes, respectively.
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§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe worst delays were on the A 13 from Gardiners corner east to Prince Regent lane. On Saturday morning these delays were equivalent to those experienced on a weekday rush-hour at their peak.
The delays were aggravated by other factors, including an accident in Rotherhithe tunnel, the closure of Tower bridge, and a strike by Woolwich ferry operators.
§ Ms. GordonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the southbound bore of the Blackwall tunnel was closed on 4 and 5 March; what consideration he has given(a) to confining such closures to 12-hour periods from 2100 hours to 0900 hours over each night or (b) to confining traffic to smaller vehicles using one lane through the tunnel or approach roads; and what would be the additional cost of these or similar measures to minimise congestion.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Department announced in February that the southbound bore of the Blackwall tunnel would be closed for annual maintenance from 10 pm on 4 March to 5 am on 6 March, and during the same hours on the two succeeding weekends.
Good progress has been made with the work. The tunnel was re-opened ahead of schedule at 6.15 pm on 5 March, and the final proposed closure may not be necessary.
Alternative arrangements for these closures were considered and rejected either for reasons of safety or because they would increase the overall closure period required.