HC Deb 24 March 1970 vol 798 cc1194-5
18. Mr. Newens

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now introduce legislation making it compulsory to fit an anti-jack-knifing device to articulated vehicles.

Mr. Mulley

I hope that progress with the current investigations and trials will enable some conclusions to be reached later this year.

Mr. Newens

Does my right hon. Friend not agree that accidents are occurring regularly and lives being lost all the time because of the lack of an anti-jack-knifing device? Would he agree that the greatest possible urgency should be adopted in dealing with this matter, to save further lives?

Mr. Mulley

It is possible to exaggerate the effect of jack-knifing on accidents. A small proportion of accidents are clearly caused in this way, but the evidence suggests that the statistics are not significantly greater for articulated lorries than for rigid lorries of a similar size. Before I make a particular device compulsory I must be satisfied that it will work in all the circumstances. I need full-scale trials before I can be satisfied on this point, but I accept the urgency.

Sir R. Cary

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that throughout this winter accidents due to articulated vehicles jack-knifing seem to have been greater than in previous winters? How much longer are we to tolerate this dangerous vehicle?

Mr. Mulley

That sounds like a suggestion that I should ban articulated vehicles altogether. This is another question. I should certainly meet a lot of displeasure from the road haulage interests, not least those among the hon. Member's hon. Friends.