§ 23. Mr. GLOSSOPasked the Minister of Transport when the West Riding County Council propose to commence the erection of the 30-miles-per-hour de-restriction signs; and on what date it is anticipated that this work will have been completed?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI have asked the county council to treat the provision of these signs as a matter of immediate urgency.
§ Mr. GLOSSOPMay I have a reply to the second part of my Question, which was as to the date by which it is anticipated that this work will have been completed?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIn the last communication I had from the West Riding 1138 County Council they indicated that they were getting on with the work as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. LEVYIs the Minister aware that in the West Riding of Yorkshire a number of local authorities have put up 30miles-per-hour signs at the limits of their boundaries, that that, was not the intention of Parliament, and that it was the intention of Parliament that built-up areas should be restricted, and will he use his over-riding authority to get some of those restricted roads de-restricted?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI have demonstrated to the House my desire to assist motorists in that way as much as possible.
§ Captain P. MACDONALDWill the Minister see also that local authorities do not erect de-restriction signs behind hedges, but make them as visible as the restriction signs?
§ 37. Mr. RADFORDasked the Minister of Transport whether he has received from the local authority concerned an application that the main road from Cheadle to Handforth and from Hand-forth to Wilmslow shall be exempted from the 30-mile-per-hour speed limit?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHANo, Sir.
§ Mr. RADFORDDoes the Minister not agree that the surest way to make the regulations a success and to prevent their being brought into ridicule is by excluding a type of road that was never intended to be subject to the 30-mile-perhour limit but which still remains restricted?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMy hon. Friend asked me whether I had received an application from the local authority. I say that I have not received it.
§ Mr. RADFORDIn any case in which his inspectors inform him that a certain road merits decontrol, does the Minister communicate with the local authority concerned to see whether that can be done?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI have a vast volume of correspondence with local authorities.
§ Mr. RADFORDWill he be willing to make such a communication in this particular case?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAYes, Sir, if the facts justify it.
§ 38. Mr. RADFORDasked the Minister of Transport to what extent he has received from the local authorities concerned applications for exemption from the 30-mile-per-hour speed limit in respect of stretches of wide open roads in Lancashire and Cheshire?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAThe only length's of road in Lancashire and Cheshire in respect of which I have received applications from local authorities for de-restriction are lengths of road in Bacup and Darwen, and I have given my consent to the necessary Orders.
§ Mr. RADFORDIs it a fact that local authorities in the South of England have been more enterprising and forward in putting in their applications than those in the North?
§ 41. Captain STRICKLANDasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the great development in the use of speed restriction and de-restriction signs on the roads since the findings of the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs were published or the motor organisations were consulted in connection therewith, he will take steps to ascertain the views of these organisations on the usefulness of having distinctive painted lines placed on the roads to indicate the approach to or departure from restricted speed areas?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI will readily consider any representations on this subject which the organisations referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend may wish to make to me.
§ 55. Brigadier-General SPEARSasked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the main road east of Staines, level with the Staines reservoir as far as the arterial road, is subject to the 30-mile-per-hour speed limit; and whether he will take steps to have this road derestricted?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI am in consultation with the police and the local authorities concerned.
§ 19. Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZON(for Mr. MALLALIEU)asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider taking steps to relax the 30-mileper-hour speed limit between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI have no power to relax the 30 miles per hour speed limit during particular hours.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOORE-BRABAZONMay I ask my hon. Friend whether he is aware that the former Minister was in favour of this, and is there now disagreement in the Government in regard to it?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHANo, Sir. The power was not contained in the Act.