Speed limits
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THE GOVERNMENT has yet to be convinced that road speed limiters are the full answer to controlling the speed of coaches on motorways, Transport Minister Lynda Chalker said last week.
She told CM that coach drivers will be reminded shortly of the 70mph motorway, 60mph dual carriageway and 50mph single carriageway speed limits which apply at present.
She was satisfied that the National Bus Company in particular had been making an effort to abide by the voluntary code of practice on driving which was agreed with the Bus and Coach Council last year in response to public concern about coach safety in 1983.
But a repeat advertising campaign on coach driving is planned in the near future.
Mrs Chalker said there were still some disadvantages with speed limiters which deterred the Department of Transport from making their fitting mandatory.
In particular, she said it was desirable for a coach driver to be able to accelerate out of an awkward situation sometimes to prevent the passengers from being injured.
None of the speed limiters available at present made it possible to exceed a given speed, but if one did, it would "corner the market," she suggested.