Written question asked by Bernard Jenkin (Conservative) on Monday, 8 November 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 November 1999. It was answered by Keith Hill (Labour) on Thursday, 11 November 1999 on behalf of the Highways Agency.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions;Highways Agency

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what plans his Department has to extend the use of the M4 bus lane to include high-occupancy vehicles; and what measures he plans to implement to ensure compliance with this rule; how many (a) buses, (b) taxis and (c) bus services use the M4 bus lane; and what were the equivalent figures for the same stretch of road prior to the bus lanes existence; what assessment he has made the effect of the M4 bus lane on traffic flow and journey times on the M4 (a) between the M25 intersection and the start of the bus lane and (b) before the M25 intersection at (i) rush hour and (ii) off-peak periods; and if he will publish the recent report submitted by the Road Transport Laboratory; what plans he has to introduce variable speed limits on the M4 between the M25 intersection and the Chiswick terminus; what estimates he has made of (a) the number of passengers carried in the M4 bus lane and (b) the number of people who have changed their journey routes to avoid the M4 since the bus lane was established. (In Library as Dep 99/1830). - Inc text of letter from Peter Nutt of the Highways Agency and table and figures.

Secondary information