§ Mr. IrvineTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish regulations requiring speed limiters to be fitted to heavy goods vehicles; and whether he will extend the requirement to vehicles already in service.
§ Mr. ChopeA major consultation exercise earlier this year has shown that there is overwhelming support for fitting speed limiters to new vehicles. This measure should significantly reduce both the number and severity of accidents involving speeding HGVs. I am therefore pleased to confirm that draft regulations are being published today, and they will require all new HGVs over 7.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight to be fitted with speed limiters as from 1 August 1992.
I am also proposing today to bring forward regulations which would require speed limiters to be fitted to at least the biggest and heaviest articulated vehicles first registered after 1 August 1988. There was firm support for this in the consultation exercise.
Speed limiters would pay for themselves in terms of fuel savings in just a few years and there would be environmental benefits, too.