§ 43. Mr. Brockwayasked the Minister of Transport what was the number of motor accidents involving personal injury between Taplow and Langley on the A.4 during the period 9th April to 30th June, 1962, and on the A.4 and M.4 together during the same period in 1963.
§ Mr. MarplesThere were 53 personal injury accidents on the A.4 and M.4 together from 9th April to 30th June, 1963. In the corresponding period of 1962 there were 40 accidents on the A.4 and four accidents on the length of M.4 then open to traffic.
§ Mr. BrockwayWill the Minister agree that one of the objects of building the M.4 was both to relieve traffic and reduce accidents on the A.4? Is he aware also that, when the M.1 came into use, the combined accidents on the M.1and the roads it relieved fell by 26 per cent.? In this case the number of accidents has risen. Is not this due to the fact that there is only a two-lane road on the M.4 as compared with a three-lane road on the M.1?
§ Mr. MarplesAs a matter of fact, we have gone into this very carefully and the period chosen by the hon. Member is from 9th April to 30th June, 1963. Everybody agrees that that period is too short to draw any reasonable conclusion. Therefore, I think we must wait for some considerable time more before we can draw a satisfactory conclusion.