Letter: M25 benefits in and out of London

Sir: Many of the criticisms of the M25 motorway are based on hearsay and speculation. The facts demonstrate the benefits of its construction. Since the completion of the M25, the number of heavy goods vehicles passing through London has been reduced by up to 40 per cent and the number of car-based commuters entering London has been reduced by 5 per cent.

Many of the towns and villages that lie adjacent to the M25 have also seen dramatic reductions in through traffic. Eynsford, a small village in the Darenth valley, Kent, experienced a 60 per cent reduction in through traffic on the completion of the M25.

The reductions in through traffic make life safer and improve the environment. If the benefits of employment opportunities created by developments around the M25 are also included, the case for its value becomes irrefutable.

Those who criticise the M25 should consider what life would be like if it had not been built - longer journey times, more accidents, more pollution and fewer job opportunities.

Yours faithfully,

PAUL EVERITT

Assistant Director

British Road Federation

London, SE1

30 June