HC Deb 28 February 1945 vol 408 cc1385-6
73. Mr. Lipson

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport if he will reduce the speed limit of 30 miles an hour in a built-up area to 20 miles over the stretch of road covered by a school notice, in order to bring home to motorists the need for special caution and to enable them to pull up more easily should the need arise.

Mr. Noel-Baker

It is the duty of every driver never to exceed a speed which is safe. The Highway Code specifically enjoins on drivers that they must always be able to pull up their vehicles well within the distance for which they can see the road to be clear, whether by day or night. Special reductions of the 30 miles an hour speed limit are always difficult to enforce, and I am afraid that it would be thought unreasonable to apply such a reduction throughout the twenty-four hours in order to deal with conditions which only occur for a few minutes a day. I hope that the danger which my hon. Friend has in mind will in future be dealt with in other ways.

Mr. Lipson

Can my hon. Friend say when he proposes to announce the drastic measures to prevent fatalities on the roads, which he promised us recently?

Mr. Noel-Baker

I hope that the interim Report of the Road Safety Committee will be published in a fortnight's time.