Business of the House

Baroness Winterton of Doncaster Excerpts

Thursday 13th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

Since July 2018, junctions 8 to 10 of the M23 have been reconstructed into a so-called smart motorway. The closures continue. Both north and south sections will be completely closed every weekend next month while the work is taking place. The absurdity of this situation is that smart motorways are now under review, so it could be that one is built at great inconvenience to travellers and will then need to be undone, probably causing more years of work. Can we please have a statement from the Transport Secretary?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Rosie Winterton)]

Order. If we are going to get everybody in, questions and answers will need to be brief.

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I completely share and sympathise with my hon. Friend’s concern because I travel down to Somerset almost every weekend on the M4, which is going through exactly the same pain. There are random closures without any proper warning and the gantries display messages saying that it will take a few minutes to get to an exit beyond the one that is closed. Highways England does not seem to give one proper information. It is a matter of great significance on which we should have debates, but I think it is more a subject for an Adjournment debate than a debate in Government time.