HC Deb 09 May 1956 vol 552 cc1217-9
55. Mr. Partridge

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is now able to make a statement about the recently published Report of the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee on the 30 miles-per-hour speed limit in the London traffic area.

Mr. Watkinson

Yes, Sir. I have decided to accept the main recommendations of the Committee. I propose to introduce a new differential speed limit of 40 m.p.h. on suitable lengths of road in the London traffic area as soon as the views of the local authorities particularly concerned have been received and considered.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland also proposes to discuss with the local authority associations and other bodies in Scotland those matters of general application raised in the Report.

I am circulating a fuller statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Partridge

May I ask my right hon. Friend how soon he expects to put this new differential speed limit into force? May I further ask whether this is to be regarded as an experiment before being applied generally throughout the country?

Mr. Watkinson

How soon will depend on how long it takes to get the views of the local authorities, and of course I am anxious to carry them with me. As to the general scheme, it will be started in London, where I am the traffic authority. I regard it largely as an experiment to see whether this differential speed limit on the edge of large towns will help the flow of traffic?

Mr. Isaacs

Does it mean that on roads where there is now a speed limit of 30 miles an hour traffic will be able to travel at 40 miles an hour, or does it mean that unrestricted roads will have a speed limit imposed on them of 40 miles an hour?

Mr. Watkinson

The limit can move either way. The experiment will be carried out, which will mean that some roads with a present limit of 30 miles an hour will have the limit increased to 40 miles an hour, and on some roads which are unrestricted the limit will be 40 miles an hour. But the principle is that round the periphery of big towns we shall try to get a better flow of traffic by having a two-stage limit.

Viscount Hinchingbrooke

Now that my right hon. Friend has assured himself that there would be no material adverse criticism of the increase in speed as such, will he raise the speed limit of commercial vehicles from 20 to 30 m.p.h.?

Mr. Watkinson

That is a different question.

Following is the statement

Conclusions on the detailed recommendations of the Committee:

Recommendations 1–8 (Built-up area speed limit). I agree that the 30 m.p.h. speed limit in built-up areas is fundamentally sound and should be retained. On balance I consider it should remain in force for 24 hours a day. I also agree that in future on trunk and classified roads the limit should not automatically be extended by the provision of new street lighting, and a Clause to effect this is already in the Road Traffic Bill.

Provisions are also in the Bill which would permit the use of repeater signs where there are no street lamps, as recommended by the Committee. As regards improving the lighting of speed limit signs, the revised traffic sign Regulations, circulated in draft for comment last year, would go some way towards meeting this recommendation, but I propose to pursue the matter further with the responsible local authorities.

Recommendations 9–14 (Differential speed limit). I accept the arguments, supported by the majority of the Committee, for a new speed limit of 40 m.p.h. on suitable lengths of main road, which, I believe, will contribute both to road safety and to the better observance of speed limits generally. I am proceeding, therefore, to seek the views of the local authorities in whose areas lie the lengths proposed for 40 m.p.h. speed limits in Appendices 2 and 3.

I hope all local authorities in the London traffic area will collaborate with me in introducing at the earliest possible moment a well considered and consistent pattern of these speed limits. No legislation is required. I shall keep these lengths closely under review and, when sufficient experience has been gained, I propose to ask the views of the Departmental Road Safety Committee on the results.

Although the Committee was only concerned with London, I consider the principle of a 40 m.p.h. speed limit to be equally applicable to the rest of the country. I am, therefore, consulting the local authority associations and other interested bodies.

As regards recommendation 14, which refers to the special speed limits for vehicles, I note that the Committee recognises there are many considerations other than those of traffic flow which have to be borne in mind. I will, however, take the Committee's views into account in considering this difficult problem.

Recommendations 16–22 (General matters). I accept that a maximum speed limit on all roads is not required. I do not propose to copy the American system of prima facie speed limits, but I will give further consideration to the possibility of adopting the idea of "zonal" speed limits. I do not intend, at least for the present, to adopt different speed limits for different traffic lanes on the same road.

I strongly endorse the view expressed in recommendation 20 regarding the physical separation of pedestrians from the traffic, and will bear this in mind in regard to the current road programme.

I subscribe to the view expressed in recommendation 21 that roads specially built for through traffic should not be allowed subsequently to become built-up. Development of land is, however, subject to the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Acts. I have power to direct local planning authorities to refuse permission for development adjacent to trunk roads, but I can only give advice in respect of county roads if called upon to do so. I propose to draw the attention of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing and Local Government to this recommendation.

I also accept the recommendations, that further studies should be made with regard to lane discipline, the use of traffic lights for the control of speed, the approaches to pedestrian crossings and the accuracy of speedometers.

I have noted the Committee's views in regard to the production of high-powered cars.