§ 2.46 p.m.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, seeing the great increase in travel now actively taking place both in Great Britain and on the Continent, they will consider calling a conference of the Six Common Market countries and Great Britain to see whether they cannot evolve a system to standardise and unify road signs and directives when the existing ones have to be replaced.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)My Lords, there is already a European Agreement on Traffic Signs to Which most European countries are signatories. The main point for consideration therefore is whether the United Kingdom should adhere to this Agreement. This is one of the questions that is being considered by the Committee on Traffic Signs, which is the answer to the noble Lord's second Question. Her Majesty's Government would naturally wish to await the Committee's recommendation before making a decision on this matter.
§ 2.48 p.m.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is at this time any committee or conference giving special consideration to the standardisation of road and traffic signs in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so that as these are replaced they will become uniform.]
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, Her Majesty's Government are very conscious of the need to standardise and modernise the traffic signs in the United Kingdom to accord with present and future vehicle density and speeds. For this reason my right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Transport jointly appointed at the end of last year an independent Committee whose terms of reference are
to review traffic signs on all-purpose roads as distinct from motorways, including roads in urban areas, and to recommend what changes should be made ".This Committee, which is under the chairmanship of Sir Walter Worboys, started work in January and hopes to report early next year. It will certainly include in its considerations the question of obtaining greater uniformity of traffic signs and signals in the United Kingdom.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask if he could state whether the Government are seized of the great urgency for the answer to this very serious problem? As London is approached from any direction within 100 miles, one finds half-a-dozen different signs calling for the same reaction. At the present time this is very unsatisfactory. This Report has been made and published, and I believe my noble friend will agree that the signs are good, but they need to be used. It is no good having them in a book; we want them on the road.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I am glad to say that the signs referred to in the book which my noble friend has relate to the motorways, and the signs there are consistent with up-to-date practice including the practice on the Continent. I can certainly say that the Government are seized of the great urgency of this matter, which is the reason I gave for setting up this Committee; but because it is so important we should get the thing right.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that comment, but is he aware that in the Report itself the Committee say that the signs will serve not only for motorways but for other roads as well? In his comment just now I do mot think my noble friend referred to that.
§ LORD CHESHAMNo, my Lords, I did not refer to that, because the Committee whose Report my noble friend has in his mind had the terms of reference to consider the signs on motorways. It is the other Committee I mentioned that is now sitting which has terms of reference to consider signs generally.
§ LORD BOSSOMMy Lords, may I thank my noble friend for that answer? May I say that I hope there will be a great sense of urgency about getting these vitally needed signs put on the roads?
§ LORD SOMERSMy Lords, since a good many local authorities seem to be very unwilling to bring their signs up to date, may I just ask my noble friend whether there is any hope of fixing a deadline, by which date they will be forced to do so?
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I think that, pending the receipt of the Report of the Committee now sitting, it would not be possible at the present time to talk in terms of a deadline. I have said, and am happy to repeat, that the Government consider this an urgent matter, but one which must nevertheless be tackled in the proper manner.