HC Deb 23 December 1964 vol 704 cc281-2W
62. Sir B. Janner

asked the Minister of Transport what improvements he will make in safety factors on the M.1 and other motorways, in view of the fact that the present provisions are useless in bad weather; and whether he will provide illuminated advance warning signs on these motorways to warn drivers of fog and other dangers ahead.

67. Mr. Goodhew

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will now authorise the use of illuminated bad weather signs on the M.1.

69. Mr. Edelman

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the inadequacy of the safety arrangements on the M.1 in conditions of fog and poor visibility; and what action he is

LONDON-YORKSHIRE MOTORWAY (M.1): CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO
Designation of contract and length covered Contractor Expected Completion date
(1) (2) (3)
LY/CF: Lutterworth-Whetstone George wimpey and Co. LTD. Early in 1965
LY/CG: Whetstone-Kirby Muxloe R. M. Douglas Construction Ltd.
LY/CH: Kirby Muxloe-Markfield A. Monk and Co. Ltd
LY/CJ: Markfield-Shepshed Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons Ltd. July,1965
LY/CK: Shepshed-South of River Trent Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons Ltd.
LY/CL: River Trent Crossing Brims and Co. Ltd. May, 1965
LY/CM: North of River Trent to Stantonby-Dale (Derbyshire) George Wimpey & Co. Ltd. May, 1966
LY/CN: Stanton-by-Dale to Nuthall (Notts) R. M. Douglas Construction Ltd. August, 1966
LY/CP: Nuthall to Pinxton (Derbyshire) George Wimpey & Co. Ltd. December, 1966
Note: The length covered by Contract LY/CE: Crick (Northants)-Lutterworth, was opened to traffic on 1st October, 1964.

taking to avoid accidents in these conditions and to prevent ther aggravation and multiplication through lack of warning signals after an initial accident has occurred.

Mr. Tom Fraser

No warning system can prevent accidents in fog if drivers do not adjust their speeds to the limits of their visibility. The evidence I have indicates that the recent accidents happened because vehicles were being driven too fast and too close together in poor visibility.

I am proposing to experiment on a section of M.1 with a simpler warning system than that at present in use on M.5 but this will not be ready for use this winter.