§ Mr. WatersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when sufficient data will be available to enable an assessment to be made of the success or otherwise of recent road traffic reduction legislation; and if he will make a statement. [46708]
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§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 is not yet in force. However, guidance to local authorities on implementing the Act was issued in draft earlier this year for consultation. This stated that local traffic authorities would be expected to produce, by 31 July 1999, reports containing assessments of levels of local road traffic in their area and forecast growth in those levels, together with targets for reducing those levels or their rate of growth. The draft guidance also stresses the importance of local authorities monitoring traffic levels in order to determine whether they are on course to achieve any such targets. It is too soon to judge when it will be possible to assess the likely impact of the Act on traffic levels.