HL Deb 25 October 1972 vol 335 cc2145-6
LORD ST. JUST

My 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 the single-line crash barriers now being erected on motorways are in agreement with the standard safety views of the Road Research Laboratory; and whether Her Majesty's Government have permanently shelved the alternative scheme of steel cable safety fences.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

Yes, my Lords, they are; the tensioned corrugated beam safety fence being installed was designed and developed by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Wire rope safety fences are recommended for use where their minimal obstruction to wind-borne snow is advantageous in avoiding the formation of drifts.

LORD ST. JUST

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his reply. I must say that I am slightly bewildered by his full Answer. Is the noble Lord aware that in many ways steel cable safety fences are preferable, because of course they catch the cars and take them along the side of the central reservation, which gives some hope of cars following at speed in the outer lanes avoiding a crash into the rear of a vehicle?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, the Road Research Laboratory are quite content that the standard crash barriers which we are installing are quite suitable for our roads. If we used a cable we should have to harden the reservation to stop low sports cars and other such cars riding up underneath the ropes, which would approximately double the cost of the installation.