§ Mr. Grieveasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet received the report of his Department's study of traffic problems arising out of an accident on the M5 motorway on 5th October 1973; and what action he proposes.
§ Mr. PeytonYes. At 11.25 on 5th October last a tanker containing ethylene oxide overturned between junctions 6 and 7 on the M5 motorway near Worcester.154W It appeared to be leaking. Ethylene oxide is highly inflammable and any leakage could have led to a major explosion. So this section of the motorway was closed and was not reopened until 22.20. The long time taken to deal with the incident was caused by the need for an expert to come from Southampton before decisions could be taken on how to lift and remove the tanker. Although traffic was diverted on to other routes severe traffic congestion developed over a wide area.
The study highlights the need for ready identification of tanker contents, for the emergency services to know immediately what action to take and for expert advice to be readily available if required. The Standing Advisory Committee on Dangerous Substances, which advises my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, is already considering a scheme for the marking of vehicles carrying dangerous substances by a code which will indicate the immediate action to be taken in an emergency. In addition, since 1st January last the Chemical Industries' Association has been operating a voluntary scheme for ensuring that round-the-clock advice is available about the containment or disposal of chemicals involved in accidents.
It is also clear that local diversionary routes may not be able to cope effectively with all the traffic if a busy motorway is closed for a long time. Drivers must, therefore, be warned well in advance of a closure so that they can avoid the area. Means of doing this are being explored including advance warning signs on motorways and at access points, information at motorway service areas and radio broadcasts. Other matters which are being investigated are improvements of the signing of local diversions, the resources available for clearing damaged vehicles from motorways, the design of large vehicles so as to facilitate lifting them after an accident and ways of giving information about the cause of delay to drivers on motorways. I shall see that any changes that are desirable are made as quickly as practicable.