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Road Safety Bill [Lords]

I am talking about flexible speed limits, not a permanent increase in the speed limit. I use the word ““flexible”” in the sense that most people would recognise; it is possible to flex downwards as well as upwards. There are occasions—when it is foggy, or there is snow on the ground—on which the speed limit on a motorway should be reduced to below 70 mph. I think that we should trial the system of flexible limits to see where it takes us. I do not believe that it would lead to the consequences envisaged by the hon. Gentleman if it were applied when traffic flows were light and road conditions good. I also think that we should consider introducing flexible speed limits in the vicinity of schools. I know that a certain organisation has conducted a letter-writing campaign asking all Members to support blanket speed limits in villages and blanket 20 mph speed limits near schools. I think that it has something of a case, but I do not support the one-size-fits-all suggestion. There a number of villages in my constituency in which I would not want a 30 mph speed limit to be introduced, because the roads passing through them can safely carry traffic at a higher speed. However, I think that we should consider using flexibility, particularly with the advent of electronic speed signs and flashing warning signs, which are now available to us but were not a few years ago, and at trialling 20 mph zones outside schools, although not during the school holidays, because an inappropriate speed limit will be disobeyed by motorists. If they feel that the speed limit is not just they will ignore it, but we could try it an hour or so before school commences, or 15 minutes before schoolchildren come out and for an hour after the school day has finished. That is what I would like to see. Let us try flexible and temporary speed limits where appropriate. They will signify to the responsible driver, when he sees the flashing ““20”” sign, that school children are about to be in the vicinity. I think that most drivers would respond to that positively.