The petition against two new motorway service areas was formally presented to Parliament by Basingstoke MP Maria Miller on 24 April. The petition had received more than 3,000 signatures.
Under Parliamentary rules, the Government has to respond to the petition, and the Department for Transport has now done so. Their response notes that decisions on new service areas are for the local planning authority, and that Highways England has been consulted on the planning application for the services at junction 6 of the M3. Highways England has not yet formally responded as they require further information from Moto, to establish the potential impact on the safety and efficiency of the M3. The response also confirms that there are no plans to reintroduce a minimum distance between service areas.
Maria said: “While it is disappointing that there are no plans to reinstate a minimum distance between service areas, the petition has highlighted the very significant levels of concern among local residents to the two proposed service areas. I have already discussed these proposals with Highways England, raising residents’ concerns about the congestion and risks to road safety. I will also be raising concerns about the environmental harm they would cause when I next meet Thames Water and the Environment Agency.”
Full response available as PDF below.