§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Transport what lessons have now been learned from the major accident on the M25 on 11 December; what action is being taken; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe accident on the M25 on 11 December last year was distinguished from other multiple crashes on motorways by the subsequent intense fire and the high death toll, but in its general nature and causes it was not uncommon.
Investigation by the police of the circumstances surrounding the accident lead to the conclusion that the accident was caused by some drivers travelling at excessive speeds at a time when dense but isolated banks of fog were likely to be encountered. The danger inherent in such behaviour should be well known to all drivers, but my Department intends to step up its publicity concerning the need for extra care while driving in foggy conditions. We are also instituting new studies to identify any stretches of the M25 and M42 particularly liable to fog and shall be installing experimental fog detectors on a section of the M25.