On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 00:15:40 +0100, Dave Arquati
wrote:

Earl Purple wrote:

Maybe a little but most of it will just be diverted off other roads.
For example someone coming from Portsmouth heading North may well go up
the A3, onto this road and subsequently the M1 rather than using the
Western stretch of the M25. Certainly those who live in Kingston going
North are more likely to use it. But are these people going to
specifically make more journeys by car just because the road is there?

Yes. That's not really a point up for debate - research is available all
over the place proving that new roads generate significant levels of new
traffic. I doubt that someone coming from Portsmouth heading north would
divert from the M25 via inner west London, although M25 congestion might
force them to do so - which would be extremely bad for the residents of
West London, who would then have to put up with long-distance traffic
passing through their area (the motorway may be segregated, but the
pollution and noise wouldn't be).

Coming from Portsmouth, they are more likely to use the M27, M3, A34
and A43 to reach the M1. That's almost a straight line, whereas the
M25 involves a long detour.
--
Terry Harper
Website Coordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org