Traffic Flows

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the peak traffic capacity of the Castledawson bypass; how many vehicles used it when it was first opened; what has been the number each year since opening on a daily basis; and what are the peak hourly flows this year; [17352]

PQ 1214—Traffic Volumes on bridges across the Lower Bann River
		(1) Most recent surveys			(2) 1992 surveys
Name of bridge	Year	Average daily traffic volumes	Average peak hourly flows		Average daily traffic volumes	Average peak hourly flows
			AM	PM		AM	PM
Toome Bridge	1997	17,667	1,652	1,737	12,990	960	1,350
Agivey Bridge	1996	3,130	220	300	2,910	n/a	n/a
Bann Bridge, Portglenone	1997	8,500	663	696	n/a	n/a	n/a
Sandleford Bridge	1995	20,720	n/a	n/a	15,150	n/a	n/a
Kilrea Bridge	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
n/a = Not available.

(2) how many vehicles pass over each of the bridges over the Lower Bann each day; in each case what is the hourly peak flow; and what were the figures five years ago; [17353]

(3) if she will list the daily number of vehicles and the peak hourly traffic flow (a) currently and (b) five years ago over (i) Swanns Bridge, (ii) Roe Bridge Limavady and (iii) Dungiven Bridge over the River Roe; [17354]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the daily and hourly peak traffic flows along (a) Linen Hall Street and (b) Connell Street Limavady (i) were in each of the last five years and (ii) are at present. [17358]

Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Roads Service under its chief executive, Mr. W.S. McCoubrey. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from W. J. McCoubrey to Mr. William Ross, dated 24 November 1997:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to respond to your recently tabled PQs about traffic volumes at various locations.

PQ 1213—TRAFFIC VOLUMES ON CASTLEDAWSON BY-PASS

The design capacity of the Castledawson By-pass, which opened in 1992, is 13,000 vehicles per day. Since then the average daily traffic volumes on the By-pass are as follows:

1992: 8,800
1993: 9,792
1994: 10,580
1995: 11,740
1996: 11,860
1997: 13,302

In 1997 the average peak hourly flows are: 1,040 (a.m), 1,169 (p.m).

PQs 1214, 1215, 1219

Whilst the precise information requested is not available, I have provided details in the attached tables.

I hope this information is helpful.

There are five road bridges over the Lower Bann river. The following table provides details, where available, on the average daily traffic volumes and average peak hourly flows (a.m and p.m) on each of the bridges as determined by:

(1) The most recent traffic survey carried out in each location; and

(2) 1992 traffic surveys (where carried out).

The following table provides details, where available, on the average daily traffic volumes and average peak hourly flows (am and pm) on each of the bridges as determined by:

PQ 1215—Traffic flows—Swanns Bridge, Roe Bridge, and Dungiven Bridge
		(1) Most recent surveys			(2) 1992 surveys
Name of bridge	Year	Average daily traffic volumes	Average peak hourly flows		Average daily traffic volumes	Average peak hourly flows
			AM	PM		AM	PM
Roe Bridge	1996	16,180	1200	1380	15,030	No figures available
Dungiven Bridge	1996	10,240	780	950	8,450	No figures available
Swanns Bridge		No figures available			No figures available

The most recent traffic data available in respect of Linenhall Street and Connell Street, Limavady are those of an 1991 traffic survey. Details, where available, are provided in the following table:

PQ 1219—Traffic flows—Linenhall Street, and Connell Street, Limavady
	Most recent survey
Location	Year	Average daily traffic volumes	Average hourly peak flows
			AM	PM
Linenhall Street	1991	¹8,874	933	951
Connel Street	1991	No figures available	748	1,065
¹ Based on a 10 hour count 1989.

Volume 301: debated on Tuesday 25 November 1997