§ 2. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Minister of Transport what information he has as to the proportion of cases 1290 where expenditure on road improvements and traffic signals, respectively, leads to an increase in accidents rather than a decrease.
§ The Minister of Transport (Mr. Ernest Marples)In respect of road improvements the proportion is very small, but I cannot give an exact figure.
Accidents have tended to increase after roads in rural areas have been resurfaced and where minor improvements have also been done. We do not yet know the precise reasons for this. A factor might be the relatively higher speeds that a good surface allows, in combination with difficulties at particular sites.
I am not aware of any type of traffic signal improvements which has led to more accidents.
§ Mr. DigbyIs my right hon. Friend aware that in some counties at least these figures are very interesting indeed and show increases where there ought to be decreases? Surely there are lessons to be learned, and his staff could learn them, from the point of view of road engineering. There is perhaps still a lack of co-ordination between the police and road engineers.
§ Mr. MarplesI quite agree with my hon. Friend that there are lessons to be learned, but, for example, where we resurface a slippery road accidents decrease. Where we resurface a normal rural road and realign the bends, accidents increase. There are lessons to be learned. Quite what those lessons are I do not yet know.