HC Deb 01 February 1961 vol 633 cc978-9
32. Mr. Hopkins

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will take steps to enforce the use of yellow bulbs in the headlights of motor vehicles.

Mr. Marples

No, Sir. There is no evidence to suggest that yellow headlamps giving the same seeing distance as white headlamps offer any advantage.

Mr. Hopkins

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that in France it is obligatory to have yellow headlights and that it is far easier to drive at night against an oncoming car with yellow headlamps than with white ones?

Mr. Marples

I expected a supplementary question about France, because I have travelled through France frequently. The answer is that the headlamp beams on French cars are generally of a lower intensity than those on British cars. That is the reason for the lack of dazzle. It is not the colour, but the lower intensity.

Mr. G. Wilson

Would my right hon. Friend agree that the Road Research Laboratory investigated this matter some years ago and came to the conclusion that the French were wrong.

Mr. Marples

Yes. It was in 1957 when this was investigated and it was found that people in this country preferred white headlamps.