Lord Mawhinney
Main Page: Lord Mawhinney (Conservative - Life peer)
Lord Popat
My Lords, the department produces forecasts on a regular basis. Modelling is rarely, if ever, perfect, as we are predicting the future. However, we are confident that the forecasts are broadly in line with the traffic pattern. We are investing in existing roads. It is vital that Britain has an infrastructure system fit for the global race, which will involve investing in new as well as existing roads, including filling in those potholes. The department has investigated whether traffic has reached its peak and has concluded that it has not: nor is it likely to in the near future. The forecast is for total road traffic to rise by about 43% over the next 30 years.
Lord Mawhinney (Con)
My Lords, is it part of the active government policy on roads that motorists should wait for more than half an hour to cross the Black Cat roundabout where the A1 joins the A421? If it is not part of their active roads policy, when are the Government going to take some action to reduce that inordinate delay?
Lord Popat
My Lords, since coming into office in 2010 the Government have completed a number of major road schemes and brought forward 26 new major schemes, so we are taking all the action necessary to repair and maintain our existing roads as well as filling in those potholes mentioned earlier by the noble Lord.