Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that motorways violating EU noise emissions are resolved within a two-year timescale; and if he will take steps to speed-up the resurfacing work on the areas of M27 between Fareham and Eastleigh.

The European Noise Directive requires Member States to produce noise maps and noise action plans every five years, which have been produced by Defra. The European Noise Directive does not set any noise limits and there are no ‘EU noise emissions’ for motorways or other roads to violate.

The Highways Agency has informed me that due to the various road surface materials along the M27 between Eastleigh and Fareham, resurfacing of the road is a complex operation and it is not possible to bring the scheme forward. Resurfacing is carried out for maintenance reasons and this work is not expected to be required until 2017/18.