MPs' Opinions Fork on Roads

Observers of British politics who are bored with Labour and the Conservatives agreeing with each other can take heart from the latest BPRI findings. The panel of 100 backbench MPs shows a clear split between the main parties on some of the issues surrounding speed cameras and road safety.

Generally, BPRI notes that backbench MPs like 'life in the slow lane'. More than 60% of Labour and 'Other' MPs agree that residential areas should have a speed limit of 20mph, and at least 45% of Conservatives do not actively disagree. Also relatively uncontentious, 62% of Conservatives and 90% of all other MPs agree that road humps reduce speeding, and similar proportions think speed cameras do the same.

This does not mean, however, that Tories share Labour views on speed cameras per se. A whopping 72% of Conservatives believe that speed cameras are 'mainly used as a revenue earner' - against 15% of Labour MPs and 33% of others.

Conservatives' views are also widely different from Labour / others on whether local councils should have responsibility for policing their roads (7% of Conservatives agree, vs 43% Labour and 40% others) and whether traffic wardens should be given powers to fine motorists [ie for things other than parking offences] - 14% of Conservatives agree vs 50% Labour and 27% others. Could this be a key battleground for the next election? It certainly sounds like good tabloid fodder.

Although MPs are keen on speed humps, almost half are worried that the humps have a negative impact on the emergency services.

Most of the findings are in line with the Transport 2000 campaign for safer streets. Debbie Senior, BPRI's Head of Marketing concludes that 'the message that Transport 2000 is putting out is clearly getting through to legislators. Transport 2000 has been working with local community groups on reducing the 30mph speed limit and been campaigning for a variety of traffic calming measures'.

100 MPs were interviewed during April 2004. The 100 are a representative sample of the composition of the House and part of the BPRI Political Opinion Panel. BPRI is a research led consulting practice and part of Kantar within the WPP Group, with a web site at www.bprigroup.com

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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