§ 3.12 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is anticipated that the drivers of motor vehicles will be able to distinguish between the various speed limits involved in the proposal to increase the number of speed limits in the latest proposal for a 40 m.p.h. speed limit in view of the extreme concentration of traffic on our existing roads.]
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, the presence of a 30 m.p.h. speed limit will be indicated, as at present, by street lamps, or by small replicas of the initial sign where there are no lamps. The beginning of a 40 m.p.h. speed limit will be indicated by a large and distinctive sign, which will be repeated in miniature on or near each street lamp or at small intervals where there are no lamps. Even in congested conditions, no motorist need be in doubt whether he is on a length subject to a 30 m.p.h., or 40 m.p.h., speed limit, or not subject to a speed limit.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, again thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, may I ask whether, in the case of roads which are restricted to 30 m.p.h. the 30 m.p.h. signs are to be reproduced? The point is this. Under the present condition of traffic, it is difficult to be quite sure which sort of sign you pass.
§ LORD MANCROFTMy Lords, I fully appreciate the noble Lord's point. The authorities have looked at this matter very carefully. They are most anxious not to do what the noble Lord fears may be done, namely, confuse the motorist; and I think they have succeeded. If he will be good enough to look at the first experimental length, which is in Watford Way—the exact reference is given in the list to which I referred a moment or two ago— 8 I think he will agree that no confusion can possibly occur.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHAm I right in saying that the signs would be left only in the case of the 40 m.p.h. limit and not in the case of the 30 m.p.h. limit?
§ LORD MANCROFTNo; I am talking about the 40 m.p.h. limit now. I am not discussing the 30 m.p.h. limit at all.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHWould the noble Lord be kind enough to tell the House that, as this is only an experiment, which was criticised very harshly when it came before this House in the Road Traffic Bill, he will be prepared to give an undertaking that this experiment will be carried on for only a specific time? If a Question is put down, will he be prepared to state when it is the Ministry's intention to discontinue the experiment and present a report to Parliament?
§ LORD MANCROFTIf the noble Lord likes to put that down as a Question, I will do my best to answer it.
§ LORD FORBESMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether Her Majesty's Government will take steps to prohibit all unauthorised signs and advertisements alongside our main roads? At present. there are so many signs that the driver has one eye on the road and the other eye on trying to find out which is the official sign and which the unofficial sign.
§ LORD MANCROFTI think that what the noble Lords says has much force. We discussed this question in some detail during the discussions on the Road Traffic Act, 1956. Indeed. so far as I can remember, there are specific provisions in the Act (I think in Section 35), and there is certainly a specific provision in the Act of 1930, Section 48, which gives the highway authority express power to do exactly what the noble Lord wants. Many authorities exercise their power quite rigorously and, in the course of the debate on the 1956 Act, many of your Lordships—and, I think, my noble friend Lord Selkirk and myself—expressed the wish that more highway authorities would exercise more stringently the power given to them by the law. There has been considerable improvement of late.