§ LORD SEGALMy 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 whether they would consider issuing regulations to require the driver of a farm tractor, or any other slow-moving motor vehicle that is impeding the flow of traffic on the public highway, to draw up at the nearest lay-by, in order to allow faster-moving following traffic an opportunity to overtake.]
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, where such slow-moving vehicles are in narrow country lanes there are no established lay-bys. On busy roads with frequent lay-bys a slow-moving vehicle under the suggested restriction could have difficulty in making progress at all. Regulations to cover these extremes and the wide range of conditions between them would be difficult to frame and to enforce. I fully recognise the frustration which can be caused by such vehicles but, on balance, the solution must lie in the exercise of common sense and mutual courtesy between road users.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, are the Government aware that exhortation is not enough and that the old-time courtesy is now a diminishing factor on the roads? Are they also aware that, as a result of the large number of new drivers and new cars on the roads, and especially the influx of large lorries from the Continent, one slow-moving vehicle can hold up 50 or more cars on the road? Are the Government really prepared to sit back and do nothing about these changed conditions on the roads?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONNo, my Lords. The Government are obviously not prepared to sit back and do nothing. The programme for motor-way and trunk road improvements is going ahead. I answered last week the point about heavy freight vehicles from abroad and, as I told the House then, I think that matter will be dealt with shortly. I do not think there is any more one can say. It is a matter of common sense. All vehicles belonging to the Services have discipline in this matter and they know that they ought not to bunch. Also, one does not normally get bunching of large lorries driving in convoy. I think that the more people drive the more they will learn this lesson.
§ LORD KILMANYMy Lords, while recognising that it is important for doctors to get along the road without delay—and that might include the noble Lord who put the Question—may I ask the Minister whether he is aware that his reply will be warmly welcomed by those of us who have experience of farm tractors, which are usually bent on important agricultural work and do not generally travel very great distances? A little patience will get one past them without delaying them at all.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that question. The tortoise sometimes arrives ahead of the hare, as one knows.
§ LORD WELLS-PESTELLMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether it is possible for the appropriate Government Department to call the attention of local authorities to the situation on very narrow country roads, which in some counties is quite serious? Many of these roads have no lay-bys and the local authority, being the road authority, could supply them.
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONYes, my Lords. I will certainly pass on that suggestion to my right honourable friend.
§ LORD SEGALMy Lords, are the Government, like a slow-moving vehicle, always to be overtaken by events? As the Highway Code makes no reference to the changed conditions on the roads, is it not time that it was brought a little more up to date?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONMy Lords, the object of the Highway 391 Code is to give advice to all road users. To keep it short and readable, the contents are made applicable to all road users and not to particular groups.
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, would my noble friend agree that in the interests of road safety every opportunity should be given to allow fast-moving traffic which has been frustrated to get past as soon as possible, as the noble Lord has suggested?
§ LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTONYes, my Lords. But the road programme is gradually doing this—indeed, not so gradually: it is coming on pretty fast.