HC Deb 06 March 1963 vol 673 cc366-7
15. Mr. F. Noel-Baker

asked the Minister of Transport what new action he will take to protect the public, including both pedestrians and motorists, against the noise and danger caused by heavy goods vehicles, including danger resulting from diesel fumes; and what improvement has been made in the development of exhaust measurement.

Mr. Hay

Regulations now being prepared will lay down noise levels for motor vehicles which it will be unlawful to exceed. I do not accept the implication of the Question that heavy goods vehicles as a class are dangerous. Their accident record is, in fact, better than that of any other class of vehicle. It is an offence to emit smoke so as to cause danger to other persons on the road, and active steps are taken by our vehicle examiners in conjunction with the police to check excessive black smoke emission. Exhaust measuring instruments have not proved necessary for this purpose.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Is not the Minister aware that the application of measures against the emission of dangerous fumes are really ineffective and that increasing numbers of large heavy goods vehicles are emitting fumes which are dangerous from the viewpoint of both visibility and health in the country and in towns, and that it is time that effective action was taken to stop this?

Mr. Hay

Last year, we carried out a nation-wide series of smoke checks and no fewer than 83,000 diesel lorries were taken under observation. Nine thousand, eight hundred of them were emitting black smoke, 132 were issued with immediate prohibition notices, 3,900 with delayed prohibition notices and 4,000 warning letters were issued. We are trying to bring this problem of smoke emission to the attention of operators of heavy commercial vehicles. There is a great deal of evidence to show that our investigations and checks last year were extremely effective. I implore hon. Members, however, if they find cases of this nature occurring on the roads, to report the facts either to the local office of my right hon. Friend's Ministry or to our headquarters.

Mr. D. Smith

Will my hon. Friend say whether, despite what he has already said, the number of prosecutions for this offence is increasing?

Mr. Hay

I think so, but I cannot say definitely without notice.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

Is the Minister aware that the number of 10-ton coal lorries per hour now passing through the County Borough of Derby has reached 240, or four a minute, and that they commit a grave nuisance with diesel fumes?