ROAD SAFETY

Southland Times, Issue 25303, 5 June 1935, Page 7

ROAD SAFETY

MEASURES IN BRITAIN CONCERN FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN MINISTER’S STATEMENT (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, dune 3. During the House of Commons debate on a vote for the Ministry of transport, Mr L. Hore-Belisha referred m particular to the safety measures taken on the roads. Pedestrian crossings of which 10,000 had been laid in London within three months, had undoubtedly been responsible for saving life and limb. It. was notable that in London, where the safety measures so far had been chiefly concentrated, there had been a greater percentage of reduction in accidents than in the country as a whole. The speed limit had made for a safer and more agreeable flow of traffic. • - . , The most pressing feature of the accident returns was the large number of children involved, 1171 of 3517 pedestrians killed on the roads in 1935 being under 15 years old. Two departmental committees had been appointed to draw up a curriculum for the teaching of safety in the schools. Undoubtedly many accidents occurred owing to lack of playgrounds for children. Notices of regulations would, as an experiment, be given this week converting certain streets in Southwark and Paddington into children’s play streets. It was intended to erect notices at the end of the streets and paint the kerbs with green paint. The Ministry worild do everything possible to provide for this year’s unexampled expansion of the motor. In connection with the Gov-five-year road plan, programmes had already been received from about half of the highway authorities, and further programmes were being received almost daily.