An influential transport consultancy has today recommended that the government make plans to widen the M25 or risk facing a 33% increase in traffic by 2016.

Halliburton KBR was commissioned by the government to look at the future of the transport route that runs around the outside and their conclusion was that widening the motorway is the best route to managing the future flow of traffic.

The main recommendations in the report were as follows:

• Widening of the M25, but only in conjunction with measures such as controlled entry to the motorway or segregated lanes for priority vehicles, a toll for priority lanes used by vehicles such as single occupancy cars and an electronically collected motorway toll.
• Serious consideration should be given to the building of a new Thames crossing east of Dartford.
• Better management of roadworks on the M25 to improve conditions for drivers.
• Reducing demand for using the existing M25 through measures such as changes in land use policies to encourage developments in places accessible by public transport.
• The promotion of telecom solutions such as conferencing and home-working to cut journeys, and travel plans for workplaces and school.
• The establishment of a frequent orbital coach network, co-ordinated by a newly-created Strategic Coach Authority, which would connect key towns in the M25 corridor, providing an alternative to car travel.
• Support for major new rail infrastructure developments such as Crossrail, Thameslink 2000 and Airtrack, alongside improvements to orbital lines such as the North Downs Line.

The final recommendations will be presented to regional planning authorities and the Mayor of London in the autumn.