London Orbital region

M25 London Orbital Motorway

The M25 London Orbital is a strategic hub of Britain's motorway network as well as a bypass for London. It was designed to allowstrategic traffic to avoid London. Since the final section was completed 12 years ago it has come under increasing strain. Last July theGovernment made clear its intention to look at the problems of the highly congested western section of the M25 in detail and in thecontext of the whole of the motorway. The objective was to develop a sustainable strategy for this key element of our national motorwaynetwork, and to take decisions on specific proposals consistent with that strategy. In subsequent roads review regional consultationsthe need to take a strategic approach to deal with the serious current problems was widely endorsed. This leaflet sets out theGovernment's proposals on the future strategy for the M25.

Role of M25 London Orbital

As a vital component in the national motorway network the M25 provides:

a bypass for London and the surrounding towns giving substantial traffic relief for communities, particularly from heavy goodstraffic;
accessibility to London and much of the South East;
links between all the motorway and trunk roads radiating from London;
a strategic route for freight and other traffic from the north and west to the Channel Tunnel and ports;
access to London's international airports.

In fulfilling its role the M25 has become one of the busiest motorways in Europe. More than 700,000 daily journeys are made on it. Only30% of M25 users are using the motorway as a bypass of London in that their journeys start and finish outside the motorway ring. Some60% are using the M25 for a leg of a journey that crosses outside inside the motorway ring. The other 10% of users are both startingand finishing their journeys inside the M25 ring.

The Problem

Congestion on the M25 is all too evident, particularly during peak periods. Average daily two-way flows on the motorway ranged from83,000 to 181,000 vehicles in 1996. The most serious problems occur on the western half of the motorway with weekday flows of up to200,000 vehicles per day between junctions 13 and 14. Congestion brings attendant problems of stop-start driving conditions andunreliable journey times. It can cause traffic to divert to unsuitable local roads and damages the environment through increased levelsof exhaust emissions.

Solutions to Address the Problem

The Government's refocused investment priorities for the trunk road network are to give priority to maintenance; to make better use ofthe roads that we have; and to tackle some of the most serious and pressing problems through a carefully targeted programme ofimprovements. The problems of the M25 have been looked at in this context.

The motorway was built to dual three-lane carriageway standard except for the section near Heathrow between junctions 13 and 15 whichwas built to dual four-lane standard. Since it was completed the M25 has been widened to dual-four lanes between junctions 7 at Reigateand 13 at Staines and between the M4 and the M40. Controlled motorway operation involving use of variable mandatory speed limits tomanage traffic flow in congested conditions was introduced between junctions 10 and 15 in 1995. A range of other, smaller scale, trafficmanagement measures have also been used to address a variety of operational problems.

The Government has given the Highways Agency a new mission as a network manager rather than simply a road builder. In line with this newrole the Government has charged the Agency to develop alternative, sustainable solutions to be used wherever practicable instead offurther widening.

Development of a sustainable strategy for the M25

Building our way out of congestion on the M25 is not an option: that kind of thinking leads to 14-lane monster highways which simplyfill up with traffic within a few years. The Government totally reject that approach. A sustainable solution requires a balance of:

making better use of the existing infrastructure;
managing demand;
priority measures for certain types of traffic, such as dedicated lanes for lorries and buses; and
providing new infrastructure where absolutely essential.

The Government therefore proposes to commission a strategic study covering the M25 and the adjacent sections of radial routes. Theobjective will be to develop a long-term management strategy for the motorway which embraces all modes of transport, changes in land useand interactions with local transport networks to secure its safe and efficient operation in an environmentally acceptable way. Thestudy will take account of the views of interested parties. The regional planning conference will be closely involved. Among the issuesto be addressed in the study will be the scope for demand management through modal transfer, including integration with other modes byprovision of park and ride facilities near the motorway. The use of dedicated lanes for buses, lorries and high occupancy vehicles willbe considered. As well as application of existing techniques in the toolkit measures devised by the Highways Agency new innovativesolutions to problems will be sought.

An early objective of the study will be to focus on the Dartford crossing. The existing concession to toll the crossing expires early inthe next century. The study will consider whether and how continued charging at the crossing might contribute to integrated transportobjectives.

The full study is expected to take two years and provide the basis for a plan containing sustainable measures aimed at encouraginggreater use of public transport and making best use of the M25 and interacting network.

Measures in the Shorter Term

During the roads review consideration was given by the Highways Agency to formulation of a programme of measures that could be adoptedin the shorter term to overcome existing problems. Among the measures it is now proposed to implement are:

Extension of controlled motorway operation to junctions 15-19;
Utilisation of the hardshoulder as a climbing lane on the clockwise carriageway between junctions 16-17, 18-19 and immediately eastof junction 27;
Extension of closed circuit TV coverage to the whole motorway so the motorway traffic control centres have a complete picture ofwhat is going on and can respond more rapidly to incidents;
Installation of automatic incident detection and signalling between junctions 6-10.

It is also proposed to implement local network management projects at a number of locations.

Widening schemes

The trunk road programme inherited by the Government included three schemes for further widening of the M25 between junctions 12-15,15-16 and 16-19. In the case of the latter two schemes the Government has concluded that widening would be inappropriate when controlledmotorway operation has not yet been used between junctions 15 and 19 and alternative solutions to the congestion problems on thislength, such as climbing lanes, have not been tried. The junctions 15-16 and 16-19 widening schemes are therefore being withdrawn fromthe national trunk road programme.

The problems between junctions 12 (M3) and 15 (M4) are immediate and acute. They also have a broader economic impact. The maximumcapacity has been squeezed from this section by traffic management techniques. Controlled motorway operation has helped to smooth flowsand reduce accidents but there are still stop-start driving conditions for somes hours on most days. Besides wasting the time ofindividuals and increasing the costs of businesses, this is also bad for the environment with traffic rat-running on unsuitable localroads and engines operating inefficiently whilst cars are stationary or moving at slow speeds.

Measures such as controlling access tothe motorway; congestion charging and bus, coach and lorry lanes could not be introduced on the existing road between junctions 12 and15 without unacceptable knock on effects on the local road network. More capacity is needed to provide headroom to evaluate suchmeasures at this location and allow a breathing space whilst wider integrated transport policies take effect. The Government hastherefore concluded that the widening of the motorway in this section is an essential part of an integrated strategy to make this vitalpart of our core network function acceptably. The M25 junctions 12-15 widening scheme has therefore been included in the targetedprogramme of improvements. This is on the basis that it will be accompanied by an effective demand management and traffic controlstrategy.

The motorway will be widened to five lanes in each direction between junctions 12 and 14 and to six lanes in each direction betweenjunctions 14 and 15. The widening will be carried out within the existing motorway boundary and therefore not require additional land.The scheme will not involve any significant local environmental impacts and the use of low noise surfacing and improved noise fenceswill mean reduced noise levels at over 300 adjacent properties. As well as additional tree and shrub planting within the motorwayboundary opportunities will be sought for further screen planting on land in private ownership by agreement with landowners. Theestimated cost of the widening scheme is £94 million.

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