HL Deb 17 June 1963 vol 250 cc1089-91

2.54 p.m.

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My 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 what steps it is proposed to take to enable road users the better to conform to the summer speed limit regulations in so far as new 50 miles per hour signs are required and also the obliteration of misleading signs such as "Speed limit ends", and upon whom is the cost of erection and obliteration to fall.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)

My Lords, my right honourable friend the Minister of Transport is very conscious how important it is that motorists would not be under any misapprehension about this summer's temporary week-end speed limits of 50 miles per hour. The limit applies on most week-ends to the same 750 miles of trunk roads as in the last two years. On these week-ends the limit will be indicated as before by signs, and the cost of erecting, opening and closing them will be borne by the Minister, as will that of covering de-restriction signs. But on the five week-ends from July 26 to August 25 inclusive the limit will apply to all roads in England and Wales other than motorways and roads which have permanent lower speed limits. On these week-ends all 50 m.p.h. speed limit signs will be closed and the public will be informed, not by road signs, but by the wide publicity which is being arranged.

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for clarifying this position. But will he go one step further and clarify a position which is causing some apprehension in the minds of many? This is the position of the de-restriction signs upon lamp-posted roads. Will the noble Lord say whether all these de-restriction signs are going to be obliterated?—because I think the noble Lord will agree that perhaps some motorists have not read the regulation, which is in conflict with the Highway Code, which they have read. The motorist is adjured in the Highway Code to take notice of de-restriction signs. What is the position of a motorist who is summoned for travelling at over 50 m.p.h. along a road which has de-restriction signs on lamp posts, and prays in his defence the Highway Code which has the sanction of Parliament?

LORD CHESHAM

My Lords, I am very glad to shed some light upon that matter. Perhaps it will be convenient if, for clarity, I deal with the whole subject of de-restriction signs. First of all, where a road with a 30 or 40 miles per hour limit changes to a stretch with a limit of 50 m.p.h., the normal large de-restriction sign is covered over and a 50 m.p.h. sign put up in its place, which I think should make the position quite clear from then on. As to the lamp-posted roads with the little repeater de-restriction signs, which the noble Lord mentions, first of all, as I understand it, there is not a very great mileage of such roads included in the 750 miles on which the 50 m.p.h. limit is operative, but where they are included the little repeater signs are covered up with little bits of sacking or little bags.

LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTH

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, because I think this matter has caused a lot of misunderstanding. Would the noble Lord mind answering one further question? Am I right in saying that Road Traffic Acts as they stand at present do not make it obligatory for the de, restriction signs to be obliterated?

LORD CHESHAM

Without notice, I could not answer that question; but clearly, in logic, it would be ridiculous if they did not.