Mr. Dominic Mullaney:

While in one sense the type 3 bypass might seem attractive, it has many disadvantages in so far as it switches from two lanes back to one. The difference between a type 2 bypass and the 2+2 is 4 m or 5 m of cross section. A lot is lost by going to the 2+1. The 2+1 was used in certain situations when retrofitting certain roads but I am not sure it will be the preferred type in future. We have to look very closely at whether a single carriageway is sufficient before we go to a 2+2 or a dual carriageway. Perhaps we have to look at the ultimate capacity of a single carriageway because there are towns that would benefit from a bypass but it does not have to be a new dual carriageway or motorway from end to end along a route to give relief to a town. This is something that will have to come into the equation when considering the scope of a road project. Perhaps we also have to worry that if we provide a dual carriageway to cater for future capacity there is the old adage that traffic will always come along to fill what is built and it is self-fulfilling. It is only when projects are individually examined and local needs are looked at that we can make decisions on these.