Accidents

HC Deb 27 April 1960 vol 622 cc203-5

34. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents occurred in Staffordshire during the Easter week-end 1960, compared with 1959 and 1958.

Mr. Marples

One hundred and seventeen road accidents resulting in death or personal injury occurred in Staffordshire between Thursday, 14th April, and Easter Monday, 18th April, 1960, inclusive. Comparative figures for Easter 1959 and 1958 were 113 and 87 respectively.

Mr. Swingler

Is it not a fact that there has been some increase in the number of accidents during the last weekend? Would the Minister be kind enough to call for a review in his Department of the road safety schemes recently put up by certain local authorities in Staffordshire and either turned down or deferred by his Department?

Mr. Marples

If the hon. Gentleman will send me particulars, I will look into them. I am bound to point out that although the general accidents increased from 113 to 117, the deaths were reduced from 8 in 1959 to 3 in 1960.

36. Mr. Janner

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make a statement on the road accidents which occurred in Great Britain during the Easter holidays, and on his proposals to deal with the serious position shown by the nature and extent of these accidents; and what increase he contemplates making, as a result, in the plans for road building.

Mr. Marples

The available information shows that in England and Wales 87 people died in road accidents at Easter. This compares with 71 deaths at Easter, 1959, and 81 at Easter, 1958. I am examining urgently additional measures to deal with this situation. The road work programme will be so developed as to reduce the risk of accidents caused by a failure of the human element.

Mr. Janner

Is the Minister aware that there is considerable anxiety throughout the whole country about the increasing rate of accidents, and does he think that he would do well to have a wider vision about the whole matter and see to it that a large and sufficient road scheme is undertaken, perhaps considering some of the proposals advanced by my hon. Friends the Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn) and the Member for Bermondsey (Mr. Mellish)?

Mr. Marples

A road scheme by itself is not enough.

Mr. Janner

Without it. matters become worse.

Mr. Marples

The real crux of the matter is that mechanical failures and road failures are not, in my view, as important as the human failures, and these are things which cannot be legislated for; it is selfishness, sometimes, and the difficulties of human beings which make for accidents. I am bound to say that there has been exaggeration in this respect. Let us have it in perspective. I agree that, whatever deaths —[Interruption.] This is really very important. During Easter of this year, in England and Wales, on each of the five days there were 174 deaths. In 1959, on every day in the year, there were 17 9 deaths. I quite agree that it is not good enough, but certainly it is not bad compared with 1959.

Mr. Gresham Cooke

My right hon. Friend has confirmed that the number of deaths over Easter was round about the average for the year. Will he confirm, also, that the number of deaths was about equal to the average for 1938, and, although the amount of traffic has doubled in the intervening period, the position as regards accidents is relatively better than it was before the war? Does my right hon. Friend conclude from that that the measures we are taking in education, enforcement, engineering, and so forth are on the right lines but an intensification of them would reduce accidents further?

Mr. Marples

I agree that, pro rata, taking into account the number of cars on the road, the position is now better than it was before the war. But that cannot be considered satisfactory; as long as anybody is killed, it is not satisfactory. We must pursue the methods we are now doing.

Mr. Benn

Is the Minister aware that, although his figures are factually correct, the complaint of the public is that the average number of deaths is too high and the Government could do more in this respect? It is not only a matter of the human factor. Does he propose to take any action between now and Whit-sun to bring in additional road safety measures, and, if so, when will he announce them?

Mr. Marples

There will be quite a number of measures announced, but I am bound to point out that the hon. Gentleman himself did a disservice to the country when he said that the reduced number of deaths at Easter was a national disaster although it was less than it was last year. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] That sort of panic measure does not help a situation which is very difficult.