§ 31. Captain Pilkingtonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he will take steps to ensure that large and slow-moving transporter vehicles are required periodically to draw into lay-bys to enable the accumulated traffic behind them to pass.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI hope that drivers of large slow-moving vehicles will make use of suitable lay-bys in the way suggested by my hon. Friend. There are obvious difficulties about framing a regulation to deal with the matter, and I prefer to rely on the good sense of drivers and of the police, who frequently escort these loads in the more congested areas.
§ Captain PilkingtonWhile my right hon. Friend's answer is satisfactory so far as it goes, could he not use a little more propaganda than that in order to get this state of affairs, which he agrees is desirable, into effect?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI am sure that my hon. and gallant Friend's Question will do something to that end.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeDoes my right hon. Friend recognise that this is something of a problem, if not a serious nuisance, to motorists in the summer months and would he not act a little more forcefully, in the same way as the Service Ministers, who have issued explicit instructions, by contacting the main firms involved through the licensing authorities or divisional road engineers?
§ Mr. WatkinsonI will certainly look at that suggestion. It might be possible. I believe that in many cases my divisional road engineer has to be consulted before the load is moved.