Felled trees by the A3/M25 junction 10.

From: Clare McCann

I live just south of Junction 10 on the M25 by Wisley.

The Highways Agency are remodelling the junction which I understand will take until 2025.

Originally we were told it would be £150 million but I think it is now double that, all to speed the traffic up by 90 seconds or two minutes per journey, I believe has been claimed.

My husband and I are big fans of More or Less, the statistics programme on BBC Radio 4, so I have submitted two questions to them:

1. They have cut down thousands of healthy trees (many mature), how long will it take Surrey County Council to plant this number of trees and what is the effect with regard to Co2 as the new trees will be much smaller?

2. The roadworks are causing mayhem as they have narrowed lanes leading to the junction causing tailbacks/and night time closures mean substantial detours. Is there any way of quantifying how many years of faster traffic post-2025 (assuming it is faster) will it take to offset all the hold-ups and misery now?

I fear it is unquantifiable but I have asked them to consider if any estimate is possible.

Incidentally, the felling of the trees makes me and many local people so sad but the cost of that isn’t quantifiable either.