HC Deb 15 October 2002 vol 390 cc717-8W
Mr. Ben Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to plant foliage on the central reservations of UK motorways. [74611]

Mr. Jamieson

The Highways Agency, responsible for motorways in England, has no plans to plant the majority of central reservations. Since 1990 central reservations have been designed and constructed as hard surfaced areas often with integral drainage channels and cable ducts for lighting. These areas are in a hostile environment which is subject to the effects of de-icing salt, turbulence and dust and not suited for growing plants.

Planting is considered viable only in wide central reservations where the total width is 10 metres or more and a healthy plant environment can be maintained. Where central reserve planting does exist in narrow central reserves there are high maintenance costs involving traffic management, replacement planting and pruning. These activities also result in delays to road users and potentially put operatives at risk from working close to live traffic.

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