CAB129-78 — Page 261

SECRET

C.P. (55) 201

15th December, 1955

CABINET

Copy No. 66

41

20 M.P.H. SPEED LIMIT

MEMORANDUM BY THE MINIster of TransPORT AND CIVIL AVIATION

My colleagues will be aware that there has been for many years persistent pressure both inside and outside Parliament to raise to 30 m.p.h. the present speed limit of 20 m.p.h. for heavy goods vehicles. This limit applies to all rigid goods vehicles of over 3 tons unladen weight, to all articulated vehicles (of whatever weight) and to goods vehicles pulling separate trailers.

2. So far as the first two of these categories are concerned, the pressure to raise the limit is the more difficult to resist because the case for doing so is on merits quite unanswerable. In the first place it is quite impossible to enforce the limit. It is well known that, although drivers' schedules have to be drafted on the basis of a 20 m.p.h. limit, in fact this speed is constantly exceeded and the time saved used by the drivers for their own purposes. Even if it were enforced and enforceable, the old argument that it contributed to road safety is in my judgment no longer valid. There has been an immense improvement in the braking efficiency of goods vehicles, and on heavily trafficked roads the driving of such vehicles at 20 m.p.h., with its infuriating effect on traffic that desires to pass, would on balance operate against road safety.

3. Since 1948 when Mr. Alfred Barnes, Minister of Transport in the Labour Government, made a gallant effort to effect this change, the sole reason for not making it has been the effect on industrial relations in the industry. The Transport and General Workers Union (T.G.W.U.) are opposed to the change at least unless it is accompanied by some compensating increase in the remuneration of the drivers.

4. I have some sympathy with the desire of the union to secure that the fruits of the increased productivity of the industry which would result from the change are not solely absorbed by the employers. There are indeed a limited number of cases, e.g., on night runs from London to Manchester, where the faster schedules which would result from the change might involve a man in doing the same job for less money by reason of his being deprived of the overtime payments which he at present gets. The industrial question is further complicated because while the T.G.W.U. represent a large number of the drivers of the "A" and "B" licensed vehicles, i.e., those engaged on trunk services and haulage work, they do not on the whole represent the drivers employed on the "C" licensed vehicles, i.e., those used to transport the firm's own goods in its own vehicles. It is not thought that there is any resistance to this change among those drivers.

5. In January 1953, Lord Leathers and Mr. Lennox-Boyd, at that time Minister of Transport, suggested to the Home Affairs Committee that the change should be made; the Committee agreed in principle but suggested that certain further soundings be taken about the timing of an announcement (H.A. (53) 5th Meeting, Item 3). Those soundings resulted in no action being then taken largely, I understand, by reason of the fear that in the atmosphere among the drivers caused by disposals under the Transport Act, 1953, it would be unwise to take this step.

6. I discussed this matter with the late Mr. Arthur Deakin of the T.G.W.U., in the spring, and his advice was that, while this would clearly have to be done, it would be unwise to do it while the men were still disturbed by road haulage disposals.

7. In view of the approaching end of the disposals operation, I have had, with the knowledge of the Minister of Labour, a series of discussions during the last few Page 26492321

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