§ 12. Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet reached a decision on whether the present requirement that road motor vehicles should be fitted with mud-flaps can be improved.
§ Mr. JohnsonHow much longer will this work proceed? The matter has been under consideration for over six weeks. Is not my hon. Friend aware that wet roads make motoring not only unpleasant but extremely dangerous, especially on high-speed roads? What are the difficulties about defining the type of motor car or motor vehicle which should use a mud-flap when on a public road?
§ Mr. HayThe difficulty is that practical experimental work has to be done 366 and, as the House will he aware, in recent weeks we have suffered not from rainy conditions, but from snow and ice. The experimental work has, therefore, been held up, but we are getting on with the matter as quickly as we can.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs not my hon. Friend aware that mud-flaps have been used on many motor cars for many years? What further experiment is required to reach a decision?
§ Mr. HayWe need experimental work to decide whether mud-flaps are the best answer to the problem or whether something better could be provided.