HC Deb 29 July 1997 vol 299 cc211-2W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to introduce bus priority lanes to Heathrow and Gatwick airports. [10855]

Ms Glenda Jackson

I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 29 July 1997: The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to reply to your recent question asking what proposals there are to introduce bus priority lanes to Heathrow & Gatwick Airports. The Highways Agency, in partnership with Heathrow Airport Limited, are currently implementing a scheme to provide a dedicated bus and coach lane on the M4 Spur Road to Heathrow Airport. It will reduce journey times for the large number of buses and coaches that use the Spur as well as further encouraging the use of public transport for journeys to and from the airport. Work started on 27 June and is expect to take two months to complete. There are no plans at the present time to introduce bus priority lanes on the approaches to Gatwick Airport.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to allow only coaches and other multiple-occupancy vehicles in the outside lanes of motorways on approaches to major airports to reduce congestion. [10856]

Ms Jackson

For safety reasons, coaches and buses have been generally banned from the outside, or overtaking lane of motorways with three or more lanes since 1 January 1996 because newer buses and coaches are restricted to 65 mph by their speed limiters. We will be reviewing this ban in 1998, once there has been a full two years operation.

Exceptionally, the Highways Agency is building an extra offside lane in addition to the existing three lanes on a 0.9 mile stretch of the M4 spur to Heathrow airport, which will be specifically restricted to buses and coaches. This lane is on the offside to accommodate traffic flows at the roundabout at either end of the spur road. The £1 million cost is being met by BAA plc. We have no immediate plans to introduce similar measures at other airports but will be watching the effects of this experiment with interest.

Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve public transport access to airports. [10854]

Ms Jackson

My Department will be studying options for increasing the contribution that public transport can make to access airports, as part of preparation for the integrated transport White Paper.