HC Deb 29 May 1956 vol 553 cc32-3
55. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland his plans for solving the problems relating to road safety in Scotland arising from the large number of accidents and casualties.

Mr. J. Stuart

The Government's road programme is, of course, aimed at providing the country with roads which can be used safely by modern traffic.

I have also asked local authorities, through their road safety committees, to continue the valuable work they do in educating the public in better standards of road conduct, and to pay particular attention to the safety of children.

Mr. Hughes

Will the Secretary of State study and imitate some of those Continental systems such as the Swedish system, which are stricter in the public interest, in dealing with drunken and negligent motorists?

Mr. Stuart

The hon. and learned Gentleman seems to be concentrating on the countries to the east or north-east of Scotland for which I have no responsibility. But I wish to stress the importance of road safety propaganda, which, I may mention, is eligible for a 50 per cent. grant, and I hope that local authorities will pay attention thereto.

Mr. Woodburn

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken notice of the discussions of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, where it was reported that many of these accidents involved drivers who had driven for excessively long hours and beyond those permitted by law; and that those drivers are described by their fellow drivers as "sleepers", who drive all over the road to the danger of other road users? Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to take steps to check that kind of driving?

Mr. Stuart

I gather that in such cases it is the normal practice of the police to make inquiries into the hours of driving when investigating accidents involving transport vehicles.

Mr. John MacLeod

Now that these roads are controlled by the Secretary of State for Scotland, will my right hon. Friend see that the mad policy of having narrow trunk roads with passing places in the Highlands of Scotland is stopped forthwith?

Mr. Stuart

I am aware of the feelings of my hon. Friend on this subject but, as I have said before, he must bear in mind that in the rebuilding of these roads we must pay attention to the weight of traffic using them.

Mr. MacLeod

But what about the development of the area? Certainly, that is equally important.