§ Sir R. Russellasked the Minister of Transport what proposals he has for erecting temporary flyovers at congested road junctions; and on what dates they will be completed.
§ Mr. MarshOn trunk roads three temporary flyovers are under construction and a further one has been authorised. On principal roads one temporary flyover is under construction. A list of completion dates is given in the table below.
Further schemes for trunk and principal roads are under consideration and we are prepared to consider grant assistance towards others which local highway authorities recommend.
segregating four-wheel, two-wheel and pedestrian traffic.
§ Mr. MarshThe recommendation does not refer specifically to segregation of types of traffic, but the principle has long been recognised by my Department as of value to safety and traffic movement and has been included in advice given to local authorities.
Part IX of the Transport Act, 1968, has also extended the range of circumstances in which segregation can be achieved by traffic regulation orders.
In practice, segregation is generally physical but time segregation is also used in urban areas by traffic signal control. Examples can be found in several urban areas and, in particular, in most New Towns.
§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Minister of Transport, in view of Recommendation Number 539 on road safety in the manufacture of motor vehicles, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th September, 1968, what plans he has for 179W improving the efficiency of the driving schools in this country by the introduction of special training methods developed for the training of police drivers.
§ Mr. MarshThe Register of Approved Driving Instructors has already done a great deal to improve the standards of driving instruction in this country. The Register is now on a statutory basis, and I propose to make registration compulsory for all professional driving instructors; from 1st August, 1970.
There is no laid-down uniform method of training police drivers. But the skills and techniques which may be required by police officers in an emergency are not necessarily suitable for the ordinary learner driver.
§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Minister of Transport, in view of Recommendation Number 539 on road safety in the manufacture of motor vehicles, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th September, 1968, what has been done, or will be done, by his Department to coordinate studies on the different aspects of road safety and measures to combat road traffic accidents in the country under the authority of a single body.
§ Mr. MarshMy Department is already responsible for co-ordinating studies on the different aspects of road safety and measures to combat road traffic accidents. The measures for strengthening the organisation foreshadowed in the White Paper "Road Safety—A Fresh Approach" (Cmnd. 3339) are now largely in operation.
§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Minister of Transport, in view of Recommendation Number 539 on road safety in the manufacture of motor vehicles, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th September, 1968, what plans he has to make use of the findings which show that where road capacity can be adjusted to traffic volume, so as to obtain optimal occupancy rates, the number of accidents can be kept clown.
§ Mr. MarshOne of the most effective ways of adjusting traffic volumes to road capacity is to control the flow of vehicles using the road. The remotely180W controlled signal system which has today been brought into use on M4 between Chiswick and Langley is designed to do this. Similar systems are to be installed on all urban motorways.
§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Minister of Transport in view of Recommendation Number 539 on road safety in the manufacture of motor vehicles, which was adopted by the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27th September 1968, what is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the obligatory periodic testing of motor vehicles.
§ Mr. MarshThe policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the obligatory periodic testing of motor vehicles remains as outlined in paragraphs 43 and 44 of the White Paper "Road Safety—A Fresh Approach" (Cmnd. 3339). Following the check referred to in those paragraphs of the operation of the private car testing scheme, steps have been taken in consultation with the garage industry to raise the standards required.