§ 3.9 p.m.
§ LORD SEGALMy 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 why no lay-bys are provided on motorways.]
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, lay-bys are not required on motorways. The hard shoulders can be used by vehicles in emergency, and the service areas provide facilities for refreshment and rest on long journeys.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. May I ask him whether he is aware that numerous lay-bys are provided on Continental motorways? Why cannot specific areas he put aside along, say, one of our motorways every 15 or 20 miles on an experimental basis, to see how the accident rate there compares with that of other motorways where no such provision is made?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, as the noble Lord will be aware, service areas are provided about every 25 miles and where necessary intermediate sites will be developed at 12-mile intervals. I know that lay-bys exist on many of the Continental motorways, but interchanges on our motorways are at an average spacing of about live miles. Therefore, if any driver should feel himself getting tired or sleepy, it is his duty to get off the motorway as soon as possible. Furthermore, lay-bys have been recommended on all-purpose roads which are adjacent to motorway interchanges, and there are facilities there where the driver can take his car and rest.