§ 2. Mr. Mappasked the Minister of Transport what reply he has given to the communication of 25th November from the Chief Constable of Oldham dealing with dipped headlights in built-up areas.
§ Mr. MarplesThe Chief Constable was invited to make comparative tests between his experimental system and another sent to him from the Road Research Laboratory. I am grateful for the information he has recently provided about the results.
§ Mr. MappIs the Minister aware that I and, I am sure, the Chief Constable will be pleased at his constructive approach? Is he aware, as I think he is, that we must find the happy compromise between inadequate sidelights and glaring dipped headlights, particularly in towns? It may be that the work done experimentally will find the ultimate solution and I urge the Minister to proceed on those lines.
§ Mr. MarplesI am grateful to the hon. Member. I agree with him that we must find the answer, particularly for wet conditions at night, because that is when dazzle arises. What the answer will be, I do not know, but we are studying the results of the dipped headlight campaign and carrying out certain experiments all over the country and ultimately, I hope, we shall find a satisfactory answer. I agree, however, upon the importance of the problem.