§ 63 and 64. Mr. Hockingasked the Minister of Transport (1) how many people have been killed as a consequence of motor accidents resulting from vehicles crossing the central reserve on the M.1 motorway;
(2) what consideration he has given to the dangers of vehicles on the M.1 motorway crossing the central island reserve; and whether he will construct a central guard rail.
§ Mr. MarplesDuring the first year of operation of M.1, for which detailed accident statistics were kept, six people were killed in accidents in which vehicles crossed the central reserve.
The benefit of a central guard rail lies in preventing collision with vehicles on the opposing carriageway, but there have, in fact, been very few such accidents. Experience on M.1 to date indicates that a central guard rail might well cause many more "damage only" accidents than it prevents but that it may 48W cut down the number of personal injury accidents. This is borne out by United States experience.
We are keeping this matter under review but we do not consider that there is at present justification for installing a central guard rail on the M.1.