§ Mr. Jannerasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how many accidents are caused by skidding on metal studs, strips, arrows, or letters; and whether he will consider replacing such studs with non-slippery material of the kind used in many European countries.
§ Mr. WatkinsonWe have no figures of accidents due to skidding on metal road markings. Accidents in which a slippery road surface of any sort is held to be a contributory factor, for example, smooth asphalt, but excluding trouble due to weather such as ice or snow, amount to one-third of one per cent., or approximately 750 out of the 220,000 accidents per year.
The choice of materials for road markings is a matter for highway authorities. Metal is often chosen by the large urban authorities because of the 161W very heavy traffic in their areas and the consequent service wear on road markings.