News story

26th May 2005

MP Hits Out Over Escalating Cost of "Chaos Junction"

Northavon MP Steve Webb has hit out at the Highways Agency for incompetence after it emerged that the cost of alterations to Junction 14 of the M5 has now reached £700,000.

The MP obtained the information in a written Parliamentary answer from the Department of Transport. The cost is higher than earlier estimates and appears to reflect the extra costs that the Highways Agency has incurred because of the repeated changes which have to be made to the traffic lights because of the jams that were being caused. The reply to Steve Webb confirms that the lights are not in operation at all in the morning rush hour because it is admitted that they are causing queuing.

Commenting on the answer, Steve Webb said:

"This is a huge amount of money to spend on what seems to be a pointless set of alterations. The lights are not in operation at all at the time when there is the most traffic, so it is hard to see how this is going to lead to a reduction in accidents. Local residents have faced chaos at this junction since the lights were installed, and it will add insult to injury to discover that nearly three quarters of a million pounds were spent on these white elephants."

The MP said he would now be writing to the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency asking who would now take responsibility for the decision to implement the traffic lights scheme and what lessons had been learned.

Full text of Parliamentary answer follows:

23 May 2005

M5 (Junction 14)
Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of the recent works by the Highways Agency to Junction 14 on the M5; at what times of day the newly-installed traffic lights will be in service; and if he will make a statement. [648]

Dr. Ladyman: The current cost of the works to Junction 14 on the M5 is £698,869. The lights were installed because of concerns over accidents. They are in service all day apart from between 07.30 and 09.00 Monday to Friday when they are switched off to reduce traffic queuing on the B4509. Monitoring of traffic queues will continue on a regular basis and, if found to be appropriate, the Highways Agency will adjust the timing of the lights.