MP presses for M-way fog probe
Page 13
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Urgent research into motorway pile-ups, and in particular the hazards by "fogwalls", is being urged by Mr Carol Mather, Conservative MP for Esher.
He has secured a Commons adjournment debate in which he will press the Secretary for the Environment to ensure that areas subject to fog walls are bypassed in future motorway developments.
"Nine multiple crashes out of 10 are the result of fog walls which arise almost entirely from water causes and standing
water, when drivers find themselves quite suddenly enveloped in thick fog" said Mr .Mather. He is particularly worried about a section of M25 running along the Mole valley, which is susceptible to fog walls.
His personal research has revealed that over the past two years there have been 22 multiple crashes owing to fog walls in which 360 people were killed or injured. Motorway pile-ups due to other types of fog numbered 18 in which 230 people were
• killed or injured.
On Monday Mr Michael Heseltine, DoE Parliamentary Under-Secretary, "switched off" the temporary.•flashing lights on 85 miles of M6 and M62. In their place he switched on the first phase of the new centrally controlled national motorway signalling system.
When the national system is fully operational, 30 police control offices will be able to control the signals on the whole of the motorway network through only six computer centres.