§ Mr. ButterfillTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest figures for traffic growth(a) on the motorway network, (b) on other roads, and (c) by region; and how these relate to those on which the Department's traffic congestion or stress maps, published earlier this year, were based. [36059]
§ Mr. WattsOver the period between 1985 and 1995 traffic on motorways increased at an annual average rate of 6.4 per cent.: on other roads the annual growth was 2.9 per cent. Figures for annual traffic growth for the regions are not available and could not be provided at reasonable cost.
The Department's traffic congestion or stress maps were produced using the national road traffic forecasts high and low projections and taking account of the composition of traffic on each part of the network. The latest published NRTF forecasts (1989) predict:
Percentage per annum growth Low forecast High forecast 1995–2005 2005–2015 1995–2005 2005–2015 Cars 1.706 1.431 2.615 1.904 Goods vehicles 1.444 1.459 2.467 2.496 Others 1.688 1.717 2.828 2.901 Source:
National Road Traffic Forecasts.
249WOther vehicles include light goods vehicles below 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight, buses and coaches.