§ 2. Captain Pilkingtonasked the Minister of Transport what was the increase or decrease in accidents on roads that have been transformed from single to dual carriageways.
§ Mr. HayThe increase or decrease in the number of accidents on all roads which have been converted from single to dual carriageways is not known. Investigations undertaken by the Road Research Laboratory suggest, however, that, on average, personal injury accidents decrease by about 25 per cent. following a change from single to dual carriageway.
§ Captain PilkingtonIs it not possible to discover these figures officially? Will my hon. Friend agree that single carriageways on main roads today are really medieval?
§ Mr. HayIt is not easy to discover the information for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks because my right hon. Friend's Ministry is directly responsible only for conversion schemes on trunk roads and not those which affect classified roads. I think the statement in the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's supplementary question is somewhat sweeping. There are a great many roads in this country which are still quite useful as single carriageway roads.