HC Deb 18 December 1996 vol 287 c663W
Mr. Tony Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents during the past 12 months involving commercial vehicles which resulted in(a) total and (b) partial closures of (i) tunnels, (ii) bridges and (iii) motorways in England and Wales were notified to his Department; and how many prosecutions resulted. [9311]

Mr. Bowis

[holding answer 16 December 1996]: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 18 December 1996: The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about how many incidents during the past 12 months involving commercial vehicles which resulted in (a) total and (b) partial closures of (i) tunnels, (ii) bridges and (iii) motorways in England were notified to this Department; and how many prosecutions resulted. The Highways Agency is responsible for the management and operation of the motorway and trunk road network in England. There are occasions when the police will independently use their own powers to close a length of road because of an emergency. Where no damage to the road or roadside equipment is involved, and their impact is not great, these are unlikely to be reported to the Highways Agency. In view of this, I am unable to provide figures to cover all such incidents. At the Blackwall Tunnel we have over recent years kept statistics of total closures and partial or short term (approximately 15 minutes) closures and prosecutions. In the last 12 months we have recorded 1 total closure (southbound 10/12/96), 430 partial/short term closures and 260 prosecutions. Most of these closures relate to over-height vehicles attempting to enter the northbound tunnel. On the rest of the trunk road network the Agency is aware of 20 total closures, and 86 partial closures involving commercial vehicles. No prosecutions have been recorded.