§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's assessment of the efficacy of current speed limits on motorways in relation to (a) cars, (b) coaches and (c) heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI am satisfied that the current speed limits are set at appropriate levels. The extent to which drivers comply with the limits was published in the 1983 and 1984 speed surveys and are available in the Library. I announced to the House on 15 November measures for the compulsory fitting of speed governors to coaches to ensure compliance with the speed limit.
Although motorways are our safest roads, safety must ultimately depend on the general standards of behaviour by all road users, of which compliance with the speed limits is only one part.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway in England are currently lit; if he will break them down by motorway; how many miles of motorway are planned to be lit; of those miles lit, in the case of how many the lights were installed during construction of the motorway itself; in how many cases the lighting was installed separately after construction of the motorway itself; and what mileage was involved.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe trunk road motorway lighting information requested is as follows:
268W
Motor way Length with lighting miles Installed during construction miles Installed after construction miles M1 68.0 5.0 63.0 M3 2.0 1.0 1.0 M4 26.3 3.8 22.5 M5 47.0 17.0 30.0 M6 56.0 21.0 35.0 M11 6.2 6.2 — M20 1.6 1.3 0.3 M23 2.6 2.6 — M25 41.0 38.5 2.5 M27 4.8 4.8 — M40 1.0 1.0 — M42 — — — M53 18.3 17.6 0.7 M54 6.5 6.5 — M55 1.3 1.3 — M56 8.9 8.9 — M57 0.5 0.5 — M58 5.6 4.8 0.8 M61 3.0 3.0 — M62 43.8 25.8 18.0 M63 13.7 8.7 5.0 M65 5.3 5.3 — M66 2.6 2.6 — M67 2.9 2.9 — M180 1.1 1.1 — M602 4.3 4.3 — M621 2.2 — 2.2 Total 376.5 195.5 181.0 I am keeping the extent of motorway lighting under review, and at the moment approximately a further 45 miles are planned.