§ 23. Mr. Skeffingtonasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is now prepared to restrict the speed of vehicles to 40 miles per hour on the Bath Road, A4, west of Harlington High Street, for that part of the trunk road which passes beside the airport.
§ Mr. NugentThe initial experiment with 40 miles an hour speed limits only began on 15th March, and I think it is too soon to consider altering the lengths then decided on.
§ Mr. SkeffingtonWould the Parliamentary Secretary bear in mind that his Department has had two petitions from my constituents who work in factories along this road and have great difficulty in getting to and from work? In December, 1956, the Minister wrote me a letter in which he admitted that this was a dangerous road, as was indicated by the number of times the bollards were knocked down. This road runs alongside the airport where aircraft are continually landing and taking off and, as Hayes and Harlington Council has pointed out, that tends to divert the attention of drivers on this stretch of dangerous road.
§ Mr. NugentI quite agree that this is a dangerous bit of road and of course the accident record is bad, but we feel it would be unwise to make a very long length of 40 mile per hour limit in the initial experimental stage. We shall certainly watch very carefully to see the 1342 result of the experiment and to see whether in the light of that experience it is possible to extend the 40 mile per hour limit along that road.