§ Mr. Kenneth BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate was made by the runway capacity in the south-east working party of the volume of road traffic on the M23 north of Gatwick in 2020 if an additional runway were to be built at Gatwick, expressed as a percentage increase over the present level; and if he has considered proposals for extending the M23 northwards into London.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIndicative work for RUCATSE suggests that, if an additional runway were to be constructed at Gatwick, under conditions of high national road traffic forecast growth, average daily traffic volumes on the M23 north of Gatwick would be about 165,000 vehicles per day in 2020. These figures include airport and non-airport related traffic, and represent an increase of about 80 per cent. over levels in 1993. We have no plans to extend the M23 north of the M25.