HC Deb 14 December 1944 vol 406 cc1333-4
36. Mr. Jewson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now remove the war-time restrictions on car head-lamps, with a view to relieving the strain of driving during the hours of darkness.

Mr. H. Morrison

I fear I cannot at present add anything to the answer I gave to a similar Question by my hon. Friend on 5th October last.

Captain Gammans

Will any discretion be given to the police regarding headlights during fog?

Mr. Morrison

I will consider that suggestion. Discretion to the police is often rather embarrassing, but I will consider the point.

Sir Herbert Williams

Who gives discretion to the police to light great flares in the streets during the fog?

Mr. Morrison

I expect it is the chief officer of police.

Captain Strickland

Has my right hon. Friend taken into consideration the accident liability, which is now very prevalent, in regard to shaded lights and the pools of light created by the street lighting orders? Is he aware that these have created dark patches that are almost impossible to penetrate with the present head-lamps?

Mr. Morrison

It is a hard world, I must say. When the argument was used from official quarters that the patchiness of the lighting might be a difficulty, the representative motoring organisations said "Not at all; get on with the lighting."