HC Deb 07 May 1998 vol 311 cc442-3W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what are the maximum predictions for PM10 emissions in Egham (i) from the motorway and (ii) from all sources(a) in the morning peak and (b) as a 24-hour running average, in (1) 2000 and (2) 2010 if the M25 is widened to 10–12 lanes between Junctions 12 and 15; [40442]

(2) pursuant to his answer of 21 April 1998, Official Report, column 550, on the M25, what lane capacity figure for the M25, in terms of vehicles per hour per lane, was used by the Highways Agency to calculate the weaving requirements for (a) the proposed widening of the motorway between Junctions 12 and 15 and (b) the T5 spur road; [40443]

(3)on what basis the consultants employed by the Highways Agency concluded that the readings well above the EPAQS air quality standard for PM1Os recorded in Egham immediately alongside the M25 in 1994 by the St. George's Hospital Medical School were attributable to natural sources;[40444]

(4) for what reasons the consultants employed by the Highways Agency concluded there was no clearly-defined source of the PM 10 pollution well above the EPAQS air quality standard that was recorded immediately alongside the M25 in Egham in 1994 by the St. George's Hospital Medical School; [40445]

(5) if he will list the natural sources which consultants employed by the Highways Agency concluded were the cause of the PM10 readings well above the EPAQS air quality standard that were recorded in Egham immediately alongside the M25 in 1994 by the St. George's Hospital Medical School; [40446]

(6) what estimate his Department has made of the peak hour PM10 levels from all sources in Egham relative to the EPAQS safety standard in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2010 if the 10–12 lane widening scheme for the M25 between Junctions 12 and 15 were implemented; [40447]

(7) what was the contribution made by natural sources to the PM10 readings recorded immediately alongside the M25 in Egham in 1994 by the St. George's Hospital Medical School;[40448]

(8) for what reasons the PM10 pollution levels recorded by the St George's Hospital Medical School in Egham in 1994 immediately alongside the M25 were not assessed by the consultants subsequently employed by the Highways Agency to produce air quality forecasts in connection with the proposed widening of the motorway. [40449]

Ms Glenda Jackson

[holding answer 6 May 1998]I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Andrew Mackinlay, dated 7 May 1998:

The Transport Minister, Glenda Jackson has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the M25.No predictions were made of PM 10 emissions from all sources or as a running 24 hour average. Predictions of PM10 emissions from peak hour traffic on the M25 between Junctions 12 and 13 have been made. For the years 2000 and 2010 they are 2.5 and 1.7 kg/km/hr respectively.The capacity used to assess the weaving predicted to occur on the motorway for the M25 Junctions 12 to 15 scheme was 1800 vehicles per hour per lane (vphpl), the nominal capacity, and this facility was checked using 2200 vphpl, the measured capacity. The capacity figures used for the assessment of the proposed Heathrow Terminal 5 Spur Road was 2120 vphpl, the measured lane capacity, and this was checked using 1800 vphpl, the nominal capacity.The air quality survey at Egham in 1994 and the interpretation of the results was carried out by consultants employed by Runnymede Borough Council, not the Highways Agency. The report did not identify the natural sources of PM10 readings beyond reference to pollen and photochemical activity; nor did it quantify the contribution of natural sources. We have made no estimate of PM10 levels from all sources in the Egham area.The monitoring work for St. George's Hospital Medical School was reviewed by our consultants and was referred to in the Environmental Statement published in 1996.