Transport Secretary, Dr Brian Mawhinney has played an "April fool" on the people of Surrey, by announcing that although link roads round the M25 are to be scrapped, one section will still be widened to twelve lanes [1].

He has said nothing about abandoning plans to widen the M4 to twelve lanes, or the M3 and M23 to eight lanes, despite the fact that Surrey County Council has shown this eight lane widening to be unnecessary [2].

Dr Mawhinney's plan will do little to reassure residents affected that the Department of Transport is seriously concerned about their peace and quiet, or to persuade them to vote Conservative at next month's District Council elections.

Roger Higman, Transport Campaigner said:

"Dr Mawhinney must take us for "April fools". This announcement paves the way for part of the M25 to be turned into a twelve lane superhighway. That is simply unacceptable."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Dr Mawhinney announced today in Parliament that:

"We propose to widen the existing carriageway of the M25 to five lanes in each direction between junctions 12-14 and 15-16, with six lanes in each direction over what will be the most heavily used stretch between junctions 14 and 15".

[2] Lamb G "Road policy and motorway tolling: a local authority's viewpoint - a supplement" Surrey County Council 15-16 September 1995