§ 2.36 p.m.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how long they propose to maintain the 40 m.p.h. speed limit on the dual three-lane carriageways now completed on the London end of the Kingston By-pass (A.3) trunk road.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD LINDGREN)My Lords, subject to the views of others concerned, my right honourable friend hopes that it may be possible to remove the speed limit towards the end of the year.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that helpful Answer. May I take it that the policy remains the same—that speed limits should be imposed in circumstances where they are seen by road users to be reasonable and, therefore, can be respected?
§ LORD LINDGRENYes, my Lords, and the only reason for the delay here is that there must be, or there are recommended to be, two footbridges across the road, and in the view of my right honourable friend it would not be fair to pedestrians to withdraw the speed limit until those footbridges are open.
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that I take the point that he has made? May I ask him to impress upon his right honourable friend the urgency of this matter, because this is a speed limit which is not at all clearly seen to be reasonable by the road user, and is being violated right, left and centre, at high speeds.
§ LORD LINDGRENYes, my Lords. As the noble Lord will know, statutory consultations have to take place. We have already received replies from the Surrey County Council and the police, but we are awaiting a reply which is promised within a few days from the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames.