§ 18. Brigadier Medlicottasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the confusion caused to motorists by the widely differing types of street lighting used in the areas of different local authorities; and if he will arrange for a conclusion to be arrived at as to which is the most effective type, with a view to its adoption throughout the country.
§ Mr. MaclayI have no strong evidence to show that differing types of street lighting cause confusion or that to standardise them would necessarily improve efficiency in lighting. Local lighting authorities are well aware of the recommendations made by the Departmental Committee on Street Lighting in 1935 and 1937 in favour of more uniform standards of illumination, and they have, with the encouragement of my Department, made considerable progress in this direction in spite of various difficulties.
§ Brigadier MedlicottIs the Minister aware that, notwithstanding what he has said, a drive across London brings one into the most extraordinary variety of lighting which has a somewhat confusing effect on motorists? Surely this is one of the cases where, although local independent action may be a good thing, uniformity has a great deal to be said for it.
§ Mr. MaclayWithout going into a complex argument, I would say that there are disadvantages in absolute standardisation because streets are quite different—the colour of building materials and the height of buildings are different—but progress has been made towards reasonable standardisation of intensity of illumination.