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.

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.