§ 42. Mr. Dempseyasked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the number of accidents occurring on trunk roads, he will include in driving tests driving on trunk roads as well as built-up areas.
§ Mr. MarplesDriving test routes include a section of road free from speed limits wherever possible, but the choice of route entails striking a balance between conflicting needs and we cannot therefore always include a length of unrestricted road.
§ Mr. DempseyIs the Minister aware that there has been a growing number of accidents, for example through overtaking, on our trunk roads, some of them, incidentally, affecting persons only recently granted driving licences? Will he direct the testing authorities' attention to the fact that driving tests can be undertaken on these trunk roads?
§ Mr. MarplesI think that generally speaking, over the country as a whole, the driving tests take place both in urban areas and on unrestricted trunk roads, but there are cases in which this is rather difficult, and if the hon. Member has any of these in mind where driving tests are carried out which are not satisfactory, I shall be glad if he will let me know.