§ Mr. Macfarlaneasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to determine the location of fatalities and serious accidents on the M25; and what access his officials have to police records concerning deaths on the M25.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThere were 36 fatal and serious accidents on the M25 in 1984, of which 10 were in Kent, 19 in Surrey, two in Hertfordshire, and five in Essex.
Detailed locations are recorded on the Department's computer database, though errors in the Ordnance Survey grid-references sometimes occur. The only true record is in the original police reports. The Department's agent authorities, the county councils, are employed to investigate accidents on motorways and trunk roads and can ascertain the locations in discussion with the police. Neither they nor the Department have apparently had access to police records.
I do not regard the present arrangements as satisfactory, and will be looking to make improvements.