§ EARL RUSSELL, who had given Notice to call attention to the use and abuse of the white line on public highways, and to ask His Majesty's Government whether legislation in connection with this matter is contemplated, said: My Lords, I think probably all your Lordships are familiar by now with the new white lines that have appeared on our public thoroughfares in various places, and with their purpose. I am proposing to speak, tonight, not about any improvements or 622 arrangements for traffic in London, but about white lines on our open country roads. There, as your Lordships know, their usual purpose is to protect a corner by putting a line in the middle of the road which will compel vehicles, or is intended to compel vehicles, to keep to their own side at the corner and thereby make collisions at the corner impossible.
§ I should like to say at the outset that I think that the invention and the introduction of the white line upon the public roads of this country is one of the most, valuable things that has been done for many years for the purpose of regulating motor traffic and preventing collisions. I have had a good deal of experience on the roads, having driven 150,000 miles with my own hands, and so I may give Sour Lordships a particular instance, with which I am very familiar, and which I dare say is familiar to some of your Lordships; that is, the double corner on the western side of Godalming on the Portsmouth road. That is a corner which every cautious motorist always approached with his heart in his mouth, for he never knew what fool he might meet coming round the corner on the wrong side. The provision of white lines has made that corner perfectly safe, and they have the incidental advantage to residents in the locality that they have made it unnecessary for a motorist continually to sound his horn while rounding the corner, because if the white lines are observed each vehicle has a perfectly clear line of traffic.
§ In the Notice I have on the Paper I have referred to both the use and abuse of the white line. The instance I have given is an instance of its most valuable use, but in driving over other roads during last summer—I have particularly in mind some roads in Oxfordshire—I found white lines on broad main roads at places which were not corners at all, but merely bends, and so open that every motorist could see a quarter of a mile on each side of the bend. It is essential, if white lines are to be treated with any respect, that they should not be put down in such places, because there would be no harm whatever in driving at any part of the road, as you could see anything approaching, and could not possibly run into anything unless you were blind. The object of the white line is to give protection at what are called blind corners, where one cannot see what is coming. For that purpose the 623 white line is most valuable, and I hope its use may be extended.
§ The Ministry of Transport; I know, is watching this question. I am not sure whether it has issued, or only announced the intention to issue, a circular about white lines. I think they have only announced the intention to do so. The questions I want to put to the noble Viscount who represents the Ministry of Transport are these: (1) Would the Ministry consider it worth while to provide that these lines should not be placed upon the highway without some sort of official sanction, possibly even more official sanction than that of the local authority, although it may be difficult to override that; at any rate after the considered view of the local authority, guided and informed by the advice of the Ministry of Transport, has been obtained? (2) Would the Ministry consider, if it has not done so, the advisability that. when white lines are placed at corners by the proper authority there should be a clause in the new Motor Act) about which we have heard such a lot but seen so little) if it ever comes to fruition, to the effect that disregard of the white line should be regarded as driving to the public danger?
§ It seems to me that white lines, if they are really to be useful, must be in some way enforced. I think I am right in saying there is no penalty now for driving on the wrong side of a white line. A motorist may be prosecuted at a police court for driving to the common danger, and it may be said that that is what he has done, but it would be quite within the option of the magistrate to say that merely to prove that he has driven on the wrong side of a white line without proving that there was other traffic was not enough. I want to suggest that if white lines are to have full effect in preventing collisions it will be necessary to give legal sanction to them, and probably it would be the best way to say that any disregard of the white line might be one of the circumstances making for driving to the common danger. It is really to ask both whether the Ministry would be prepared to take steps to have white lines established only under proper authority and in places which will lead to their being regarded loyally, and whether the Ministry will 624 consider making the position legal that I have put down this Question.
§ VISCOUNT PEELMy Lords, I take note of the compliment which was paid to the Ministry of Transport by the noble Earl as to the establishment of white lines, and may I say that I can bear witness to his gratification for the white line at Godalming corner because I am very familiar with that piece of road myself? I may say also that the Minister of Transport appreciates very fully the dangers which may arise from the indiscriminate use of white lines as a device for the regulation of traffic on the highways. In 1925 the Minister took steps to find out the views on this subject of a large number of local authorities, of the Central Conference of Chief Constables, of the County Surveyors' Society, of the Institution of Municipal and County Engineers and of the London Traffic Advisory Committee. After considering the views of these bodies and weighing the experience already gained in the use of the white line, the Minister sent out a circular—I do not know whether this is the one to which the noble Earl referred; it is Circular No. 238 (Roads)—
§ VISCOUNT PEELI think it was in January last.
§ VISCOUNT PEELIt was to be issued, I think, on January 29 last, so no doubt it has already been issued to all the highway authorities in Great Britain. I should like to make a few quotations from this Circular which will show, I think, the attitude of the Ministry of Transport on this subject. In paragraph (1) it is stated that—
The Minister is of opinion that the experience already gained tends to show that the white line is calculated not only to reduce the number of accidents, but also to assist materially in the control of traffic by the police.In paragraph (2) the Circular goes on to say—Uniformity of practice being the primary aim in all matters affecting highways and traffic control, the Minister view's with some apprehension the diversity of practice which is growing up in connection with the use of the white line.625 In paragraph (3), again—It is recognised that precise methods, which would be applicable in all eases, cannot be laid down, as the position of the lines will depend on the volume and direction of the various streams of traffic and also upon the physical conditions (such as width of carriageway, nature of intersection, etc.). The use of the white line should be confined to points where it is clear that it would minimise danger or be of material assistance to traffic.I think that deals with the noble Earl's point about the straight, highway—over-lavish use of white lines in one locality may tend to give drivers an unwarranted sense of security in adjoining districts where highway authorities may not bare used white lines to any extent.If I may make one more reference to this Circular, paragraph (4) lays down the general principle that before any white lines are placed on the highway the police of the district should be consulted. The rest, of the Circular deals with more or less detailed suggestions as to the lay-out of white lines at typical road junctions where their use would be of assistance to traffic and promote the safety and convenience of the public.As regards the question of legislation which the noble Earl raised, the Minister of Transport has under consideration the desirability of making some provision in the matter in the Road Vehicles Bill referred to in the gracious Speech from the Throne. It is proposed that this should be effected by taking powers in the Bill for the Minister to prescribe the size, colour and nature of warning sign-posts, signs or devices used on roads for the guidance of drivers of motor vehicles and to exercise a certain degree of control over the places at which signs or devices are to be used. The primary responsibility for the erection of the signs or the laying down of white lines would, of course, rest with the local authority. I think the only other point raised by the noble Earl was, the question of penalties. I will discuss that point with the Minister of Transport and make known to him the observations of the noble Earl.