§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions were reached when his Department last undertook a comprehensive survey of possible sites for a motorway service area on the western quadrant of the M25. [38437]
§ Mr. WattsThe last such survey was carried out in July 1984 and led, in 1988, to an announcement that the Department would promote an MSA at Iver. Uncertainties over finance and the effect on an MSA of M25 widening meant, however, that no planning application was submitted. Instead, in 1989, the Department announced a fresh search for an MSA site on the western quadrant. Shortly afterwards, the decision was taken to deregulate the provision of new MSAs and the proposed site search was abandoned. The current Iver MSA proposals are purely private applications submitted under the deregulated arrangements.
I will arrange to send my hon. Friend copies of the 1984 survey report and of the 1989 announcement of the fresh site search.