§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sections of motorways in each county currently have traffic levels which exceed on average 75,000 vehicles per day; and which sections of motorways in each county are expected to have such traffic levels by the year 2000. [26311]
§ Mr. WattsThe table lists the motorway sections in each county which, in 1994, has an estimated annual average daily traffic level—for both directions in total— of more than 75,000 vehicles. This information is derived from the national traffic census.
Forecasts of traffic flows on individual sections of motorway are not made as a matter of routine.
42W
Motorway links with average daily traffic levels of more than 75,000 vehicles in 1994 County1 Road Start junction End junction Greater London M1 4 A411 M25 29 30 M4 1 4B A102M A102 A2 A40M M41 A404 Greater Manchester M6 24 25 M6 26 27 M62 12 14 M62 15 M61(1) M62 15 21 M63 3 4 M63 6 9 M63 10 A560 M63 12 13 M63 A560 A5145 M56 3 6 M61 1 2 South Yorkshire M1 31 35A West Midlands M5 M6(8) 1 M5 1 2 M6 4A 9 M6 10 10A A38M A4400 M6(6) M42 6 7 West Yorkshire M62 25 27 M62 27 A62 M62 30 31 M621 M62 A62 A58M A660 A66 Tyne and Wear A167M A186 A187 Avon M4 19 20 M5 17 19 M32 1 2 Bedfordshire M1 10 13 Berkshire M4 4B 6 M4 7 11 Buckinghamshire M1 13 15 M25 15 17 M40 1A 4
Motorway links with average daily traffic levels of more than 75,000 vehicles in 1994 County1 Road Start junction End junction Cheshire M6 16 23 M6 M56(9) 20 M62 10 12 M56 6 7 M56 9 10 Derbyshire M1 24 26 M1 27 29 M1 30 31 Essex M25 25 29 Hampshire M27 3 4 M27 5 8 M27 11 12 M27 M275 A27 M3 5 6 Hereford and Worchester M5 4 M42(4A) M5 M42(4A) 5 M42 2 3 Hertfordshire M1 A411 5 M1 9 10 M25 17 25 Kent M20 5 6 M25 2 5 Lancashire M6 30 32 Northamptonshire M1 15 17 Nottinghamshire M1 26 27 Oxfordshire M40 9 10 Staffordshire M6 10A 16 Surrey M25 5 15 M23 7 9 M23 9 10 M3 2 3 M3 3 4 Warwickshire M6 2 4 M42 3 3A M42 5 6 1 Where motorway links cross county boundaries the link has been assigned to the county in which the traffic count was carried out.
§ Mr. ChidgeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons his Department will not consider installing acoustic fencing on motorways that have been completed. [26361]
§ Mr. WattsThis is an operational matter for the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 6 June 1995:
As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for what reasons his Department will not consider installing acoustic fencing on motorways that have been completed.43WAs I explained in answer to your earlier question, presented in the Official Report dated 9 May, column 351, it is not the Agency's policy to apply mitigation to existing roads. The statutory duty to provide noise reduction measures applies only to those new roads or improved roads opened since 17 October 1969. Owners of residential properties in the vicinity of these trunk roads and motorways will have had the opportunity of being considered for noise insulation and of claiming compensation for consequential loss of value of their property under the Land Compensation Act 1973.Any compensation provided under the Land Compensation Act 1973 will have taken account of the noise levels at affected properties, allowing where appropriate for the contribution of noise mitigation measures included as part of the scheme. We do not provide any further noise mitigation once compensation has been settled since this would incur double counting.I trust this explains the reason for it not being possible to consider installing acoustic fencing on motorways that have been completed.