§ 42. Sir T. Mooreasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation if he is now satisfied with the experimental use of the flashing traffic beacons; and whether he will consider altering their design and colour
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI am satisfied that the flashing beacons are effective and I do not contemplate at present any alteration in their design or colour.
§ Sir T. MooreDoes my right hon. Friend not realise that both the colour and the action of these lights are confusing to the motorist, and tend to obscure the crossing rather than to define it?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydNeither I nor my Department have received any hostile representations from responsible bodies—[HON MEMBERS: "Oh."] With all respect to my hon. Friend, he is a body, but not in that sense. I think that the recent foggy and dark weather in the day time has confirmed the view that they play a useful part, not least in the day time. In regard to the colour, as all 1000 who follow this closely know, we were forced to avoid the red and blue ends of the spectrum and to choose the centre—yellow—in this case.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that with the aid of these flashing beacons the number of pedestrians who are knocked down on zebra crossings is going up steadily?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThat is a gross distortion of fact, and if the hon. and gallant Gentleman cares to pursue that with me afterwards, I will give him proof to the contrary.