M1 (Hansard, 31 October 1990)

§ Mr. Madel
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish the report of the Health and Safety Executive after it has completed its inquiry into the accident on the M I in Bedfordshire on Tuesday 23 October involving heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Chope
Reports by inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive are internal and generally not written with a view to publication. In this case I shall ask to see the internal report and consider whether the production of a report appropriate for publication will be justified.

§ Mr. Higgins
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set up an inquiry to establish the cause of the accident which blocked the M I motorway on Tuesday 23 October; whether the packages containing the acid which spilt were safe for use on a vehicle using the motorway; whether he has powers to claim compensation for the damage caused; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Chope
As with any major road traffic accident the police will investigate and consider whether to bring charges against anyone involved. Health and Safety Executive inspectors are investigating whether there was a breach of the regulations covering the transport of dangerous goods.
The Secretary of State has no express statutory powers to claim compensation for the damage to the motorway but he does have a common law right to sue a responsible party for damages in negligence.

§ Mr. Higgins
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the cost to public funds of the blockage on the M1 motorway on Tuesday 23 October.

§ Mr. Chope
I do not yet have full details of the cost of the blockage but I will write to my right hon. Friend as soon as these are available.

§ Mr. Higgins
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why no steps were taken to divert southbound traffic from the M1 on Tuesday 23 October so that it did not get trapped between the blockage and the last exit which remained open; who is responsible for co-ordinating action by the police, local authorities and his Department so that unnecessary delays and expense are avoided when a motorway is blocked; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Chope
On his question relating to the diversion of southbound traffic, I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Mr. Shepherd) on Tuesday 30 October at column466.
The police are responsible for the operational control of traffic on the road network and for co-ordinating on site the actions of local authorities, the Department and emergency services in the event of a motorway blockage.