§ Sir Bernard BraineTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proportion of cars exceeding the 70 mph speed limit on motorways continues to fall as it did between 1983 and 1987.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyIt is not yet possible to determine whether car speeds on motorways have fallen since the last of the periodic national speed surveys in 1987. The 1983 and 1987 surveys were conducted using video technology at 54 sites on two days in the months of July and August. In future, vehicle speeds will be collected continuously at about 200 sites using automatic vehicle detectors. At present, data are available from ten of these sites. As only one is on a motorway, proper comparisons cannot be made with the earlier surveys.