§ Mr. Wilkinsasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the representations made to him by the hon. Member for Bristol, South, concerning the inconvenience to the travelling public caused by the movement of unescorted or inadequately escorted Army wide-load vehicles in the Salisbury Plain area of Wiltshire; and what action he proposes to take to mitigate this inconvenience in the interests of road safety and freer movement of road traffic in that area.
§ Mr. RamsdenI realise the need to cause the minimum of inconvenience to other road users, and at least three days' notice of the move of awkward loads is given to local authorities and to the police. Wherever practicable such vehicles are accompanied by police or 45W by military escorts. Because of manpower difficulties, however, it is not always possible to provide escorts. Army drivers are required by standing orders to give careful consideration to other traffic at all times and to pull off the road at the first opportunity if traffic accumulates behind them.