§ 2.38 p.m.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the maximum speed limits now being shown on ancillary notices attached to other road signs on certain trunk roads are enforceable at law; whether local police authorities are responsible for their enforcement and whether these authorities have been consulted.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, these are experimental advisory warning signs and the indicated maximum speed is not enforceable at law. Consultation with the local police was not needed and was not undertaken.
VISCOUNT GAGEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask this question? Is his right honourable friend not afraid that this proliferation of speed limits, some enforceable and some not, will lead to even greater disrespect for the speed limits generally than exists now?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, that is a fear which must, of course, be very much in the mind of my right honourable friend. This experimental scheme follows upon what I believe has been a successful scheme for the prevention of accidents in other countries and we want to see whether it can get the same sort of results here. I hope that motorists will regard speed limits not as a question of law but as being there for their own protection.
§ LORD NUGENT OF GUILDFORDMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that this variation of speed limits is causing a good deal of confusion? Is he aware that the 50 m.p.h. limit imposed on some roads at some times is largely not understood by motorists and that on the whole it is causing more confusion than benefit? Would the noble Lord ask his right honourable friend the Minister to watch this practice extremely closely and make sure whether it really has any benefit before proceeding further with it?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, the noble Lord is quite right. I will certainly draw my right honourable friend's attention to this matter again. The noble Lord and, I hope, other motorists will have read the Highway Code, where they will see all the enforceable speed limits, which have a circular sign, whereas advisory speed limits, such as the one in question, are marked by an oblong sign. If motorists study the Highway Code, they will have no difficulty in this matter.
§ LORD PEDDIEMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether statistics are being kept indicating the accident rate at various maximum speed limits?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, is my noble friend referring to statutory speed limits or to those that are the subject of this Question?
§ LORD PEDDIEThose that are the subject of the Question.
§ LORD SHEPHERDThis experiment is being conducted by the Road Research Laboratory and the local authorities concerned. Statistics are being kept, apart from observation.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that within a comparatively short stretch of road it is now possible to pass through speed limits of 30 m.p.h., 40 m.p.h., 50 m.p.h., 60 m.p.h. and 70 m.p.h., and does he not think that this must lead to confusion?
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, that is certainly true, and this matter is being reviewed. But, as I said to the noble Lord, Lord Nugent of Guildford, these limits are not imposed for fun, but are there for the protection of motorists and pedestrians; and if there are certain degrees of inconvenience, I think that we shall have to bear with them.
§ LORD BYERSMy Lords, can the noble Lord say what is the validity of this advisory speed limit on the North Circular road?
§ LORD SHEPHERDWithout notice of that question, I do not know the answer. But I should be surprised if the notice that is the subject of the original Question applies to that road. The scheme is being carried out in three counties—Worcestershire, East Sussex and Dorset—and it does not involve the road mentioned by the noble Lord.