§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what experiments involving road humps to control vehicle speeds are being carried out by his Department in West Yorkshire or elsewhere; and if he will give details of any further experiments that are planned;
(2) if he will give details of any interim assessment made by his Department of experiments involving the use of road humps to control vehicle speeds;
(3) when his Department began experiments involving the use of road humps to control vehicle speeds; and when a final report will be published.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe Transport and Road Research Laboratory carried out experiments for some years on the suitability and effectiveness of road humps as a means of alerting drivers and controlling vehicle speeds. These were completed in 1973 and reported on—"Road Humps for the Control of Vehicle Speeds: TRRL Report No. LR597".
Trials of humps on public roads were permitted by the Road Traffic Act 1974, and negotiations with local authorities are in progress to select a well-distributed range of suitable sites for field trials. Two such sites have already been selected; the installation of humps is in progress in Oxford and proposals for a London site are being advertised so that any objections can be considered. There are no present plans for trials in West Yorkshire.
I cannot say when we shall publish a final report on these trials. I hope that interim findings will be published at the beginning of 1977.