Re-think on road junction waiting ban
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• The proposals for banning vehicles waiting at road junctions have been revised by the Transport Minister and the Scottish and Welsh Secretaries who have "been persuaded that this restriction can be made less rigorous and yet still retain its value as a safety measure." Mr Peyton said this in the Commons on April 20 when answering a question from Mr Michael McNairWilson.
The Minister went on to say: "We propose therefore that the ban should extend for only 15 yards from the junction instead of 20 yards on main roads and for 10 yards elsewhere. There will be no ban opposite Tjunctions. We also propose that buses should be allowed to use part of the banned area and to allow some local discretion in special cases where the ban would be excessively restrictive for goods vehicles in commercial streets."
When first announced in July last year,
the proposal was for a ban on vehic stopping or waiting within 20 yards of urban road junction, other than for traffic emergency reasons. The aim was to redt the number of accidents which occur junctions due to the "masking" effect parked vehicles: in 1970 there were so 1800 fatal and serious accidents in wh parked vehicles were cited as a CI tributory factor.
The concessions for public transport N allow buses to pick up and set do passengers within the banned area, but within five yards of any junction. Lo authorities will be given discretion
novide spaces for essential loading or unloading by commercial vehicles on short engths of commercial streets otherwise ;ompletely covered by the ban; but these paces would not be allowed within five fards of a junction, nor would this ;oncession apply at rush hours.
The revised proposals, which follow videspread consultations, should, it is ;laimed. considerably ease the problems of ;ommercial deliveries and private car )arking, while keeping the junctions clear Lt the same time.
The Minister will be seeking powers from 'arliament for the measure at the earliest pportunity. The waiting ban will be nplemented by means of regulations, and hese will entail further extensive onsultations on detail.