Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will undertake further works to the M3 and M4 smart motorways to provide additional services and facilities for drivers such as lay-bys.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government recognises the important role that Motorway Service Areas (MSAs) play in providing a safe place for motorists to stop and rest. Government policy on the location of MSAs is detailed in Department for Transport Circular 01/2022 ‘Strategic Road Network and the delivery of sustainable development’.
The Government has also committed £390m to a programme to deliver 150 additional Emergency Areas on All Lane Running (ALR) smart motorways over the duration of the second Road Investment Strategy (2020-25).
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the speed limit on the M4 eastbound along the route of the now defunct M4 bus lane has been reduced to 60 miles per hour.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The 2002 Statutory Instrument set speed limits for sections of the M4 between J1 and 3 (various sections at 40mph, 50mph and 60mph). There is a recent SI that set the speed limit between J3 – J4 and this was to manage the air quality for this section so that it was compliant. The M4 between J3 -12 is a smart motorway and therefore the area between this stretch without a fixed speed limit is subject to a Variable Mandatory Speed Limit (VMSL).
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the M4 speed limit is 40mph near Junction 1 in both directions.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The 2002 Statutory Instrument set speed limits for sections of the M4 between J1 and 3 (various sections at 40mph, 50mph and 60mph). There is a recent SI that set the speed limit between J3 – J4 and this was to manage the air quality for this section so that it was compliant. The M4 between J3 -12 is a smart motorway and therefore the area between this stretch without a fixed speed limit is subject to a Variable Mandatory Speed Limit (VMSL).
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on the increased use of 20mph speed limits on roads in London.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department has not had any recent discussions with the Mayor of London on the use of 20mph speed limits on the roads of London.
Local authorities have the power to set speed limits on their roads. In London, it is the London Boroughs who are the highway authority, except for all red routes for which Transport for London is the highway authority.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve the A30 as a secondary route for the M3.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
It would be for Hampshire County Council as the Local Highway Authority to bring forward a proposal at the next funding opportunity and to argue its case in whatever selection process is agreed upon.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the A316 from Junction 1 of the M3 to the Whitton Road roundabout has speed limits of 40mph and 50mph.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The M3 junction 1 is at the edge of the Greater London Authority boundary. The responsibility for managing London's road network is shared between Transport for London (TfL) and the London boroughs.
Local authorities have the power to set speed limits on their roads. They have the local knowledge making them the best placed to do so.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to London from the M3 at Junction 1 (a) along the A316 and (b) by other routes.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The M3 junction 1 is at the edge of the Greater London Authority boundary. The A316 and other routes from the motorway into London are part of London’s road network, the responsibility for managing London's road network is shared between Transport for London (TfL) and the London boroughs.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of 20mph speed limits introduced by local authorities.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department has not undertaken any recent assessments on 20mph roads. We published a comprehensive three-year evaluation of the effect of 20mph signed-only limits on 22 November 2018; this may be found here.
The headline findings were:
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 4.13 and Figure 4.2 in the Transport Strategy for the South East, whether his Department has taken steps to establish a link road between the M43 ad M4 at (a) the route of the proposed M31 and (b) another route.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Traffic between the M4 and M3 to the west of the M25 is served by the A322 and A329(M). Work is underway to develop proposals for future road periods. I would encourage my honourable friend to engage with National Highways as it continues to refine its route strategies, which provide the evidence base for future investment proposals and I would be happy to arrange a meeting between the Honourable Member and National Highways.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons the M3 westbound speed limit is 50mph at Junction 2; and for what reason the carriageway is reduced to one lane at that junction.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
There is only a single lane coastbound through M3 Junction 2. The speed limit is permanently reduced to 50mph to allow slow moving vehicles, such as heavy goods vehicles and vehicles towing trailers, to safely move into and out of lane 3 either side of the junction.
The traffic flows at this junction are unusual with a very low traffic flow through the junction on the M3 but with very high traffic flows joining the coastbound M3 from the M25. The layout of the junction allows these uneven traffic flows to be accommodated with the minimum of delays for road users of both motorways.