1. Dr. Glynasked the Minister of Transport to what extent his ban on U-turning in the pink zone has eased the congestion of traffic in the London area; if he is satisfied with the progress so far made; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Minister of Transport (Mr. Ernest Marples)I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer I gave to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Brixton (Mr. Lipton) on 23rd March.
Dr. GlynWhilst thanking my right hon. Friend for that Answer, may I ask whether we can have an assurance that the ban will not be reintroduced for taxis?
§ Mr. MarplesThe ban was taken off because the trade union concerned and the taxi-cab drivers gave a pledge that they would not use the U-turn during congested periods in difficult streets. If they continue to keep their word, the ban will not be reimposed.
§ Sir R. NugentIs my right hon. Friend aware that some of us are very disappointed that he should have taken this retrograde step, because we hope to see a reduction in the number of right-hand turns and particularly the banning of U-turns, which seriously interfere with traffic flow, add to the danger on the road and are generally against the interest of traffic movement? Will my right hon. Friend reconsider this with a view to reimposing the ban?
§ Mr. MarplesTaxi-cabs are a special case. They have a special lock. I consulted the police before taking off the ban and, on balance, we found that provided that taxi-cab drivers tried to play the game with the public it was worth while taking it off. Some people take a couple of bags, one in each hand, to a taxi rank in the centre of the road and there might be danger of an accident. On balance—and it was a very fine balance—it was decided to take the ban off for taxis.
§ Mr. LiptonWill the right hon. Gentleman stand by the only sensible decision he has come to since he became Minister of Transport?
§ Mr. MarplesI am grateful to the hon. Member for the usual courtesy and kindness of that nice remark to me.