§ 31. Mr. Blytonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is aware of the concern of the road safety committees in County Durham at the upward trend of road accidents; and if he will reconsider his decision and introduce the Road Safety Bill as promised in the Gracious Speech.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydYes, Sir. I recognise there is general concern everywhere, which I share, on this important matter. No Road Safety Bill for this Session was promised in the Gracious Speech, which said that Ministers were
attentively examining the Road Traffic Acts with a view to introducing further legislation to improve road safety and promote the orderly use of the roads.Preparatory work on the Bill was somewhat delayed until I had received the Thesiger Committee's Report, but since then work has been actively pursued. Most Clauses in this lengthy Bill will deal with general traffic problems, but some important ones will be directed to improve road safety. But, as I have said before, the problem does not depend on legislation alone.
Mr. BIytouIs the Minister aware that there has been an increase in the enormous number of road accidents, and that safety committees would prefer the Road Safety Bill to the Television Bill as it would save lives on the road?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe hon. Gentleman asked me a Question about the county of Durham. While I do not want to magnify what may be a temporary change in the figures, I am glad that there has been a reduction of road 1221 accidents in the county of Durham, not only for March, but for the first three months of this year.
§ Mr. P. WilliamsWould not the best thing the Minister could do to improve road safety in Durham be to enable better roads to be built there?