§ Sir Clive Bossomasked the Minister of Transport if she will provide information concerning the results of the recent experiment by the Road Research Laboratory in regard to the enforcement of 30 miles-per-hour speed limits by the police; and to what extent it has provided evidence that the monetary value of accidents saved by employing more traffic police would be greater than the increased costs incurred.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe results of the experiment, which involved stepping up enforcement by up to 14 times, were published last August in Road Research Laboratory Report No. 24.
The Laboratory drew four conclusions:
- (i) speeds were in general reduced on the experimental roads;
- (ii) police action reduced injury accidents by 25 per cent. on the experimental roads. Accidents in the surrounding areas fell by 7½ per cent. compared with the national trend for roads with a speed limit;
- (iii) casualties to all kinds of road users were reduced, but drivers and passengers, with more than a 50 per cent. reduction, were most affected;
- (iv) the cost of large scale enforcement of the limit on main roads would probably not be balanced by the reduced cost of accidents on these roads alone, but the benefit on all urban roads would probably balance the cost.
A copy of the Report is available in the Library of the House.