§ Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the operation of the law which permits a trailer to be dumped on residential roads in Hackney and elsewhere throughout the hours of darkness without the need for lighting, thus being exempted from road traffic requirements, in view of the fact that when it is being pulled on the road as a road vehicle, lighting is required.
§ Mr. HoramSection 68(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1972 provides that all vehicles on the road shall show front and rear lights during the hours of darkness. The 47W Road Vehicles Lighting (Standing Vehicles) (Exemption) (General) Regulations 1975 make provision for some classes of vehicle to be left unlit on a road at night in certain specified circumstances, but, trailers are not included. It is therefore illegal to leave an unlit trailer on a road during the hours of darkness. The enforcement of the law is, of course, a matter for the police.
§ Mr. Weitzmanasked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take to meet the problems arising from the parking of lorry trailers in residential streets and the discomfort and nuisance caused to residents and pedestrians.
§ Mr. HoramLocal authorities can establish off-street lorry parks, impose parking bans and remove abandoned trailers. The police have power to remove trailers which are causing danger or obstruction.
I understand that a privately operated lorry park is planned in Hackney and that the borough council has applied to the Greater London Council for an overnight lorry ban for the whole of the borough.
£'000 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents 236 246 247 222 Royal Automobile Club/Auto-cycle Union-Motor cycle training scheme 23 23 30 36 TOTAL 259 269 277 258 The level of grant for 1977–78 is likely to be about the same as for 1976–77. Decisions have not yet been taken for the later years.