LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to secure that whenever in the course of road repairs or reconstruction "cats' eyes" have been removed they will be replaced as early as possible.]
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, as regards trunk roads, for which the Minister of Transport or the Secretary of State for Scotland is the highway authority, the replacement of reflecting road studs as promptly as possible after their removal in the course of road works is normal practice, although circumstances may occasionally make some lapse of time inevitable. As regards other roads, my right honourable friends have no reason to think that the position is sufficiently different to justify their making representations on this subject to the responsible highway authorities.
LORD FARINGDONMy Lords, may I, in thanking the noble Lord, thank him for informing me what is the correct description of these objects, and also ask him whether he is aware that in many cases a number of months pass before theses road studs are reinstated? Is he also aware that this constitutes an additional hazard since, if one is expecting road studs and they disappear, in foggy weather one is liable to find oneself in a most dangerous situation?
§ LORD CHESHAMYes, My Lords, I agree with what the noble Lord said. I also would have called them "cats' eyes". I am sorry to hear that the noble Lord has experience of months of delay, because I think that perfectly adequate steps have been take to make quite sure what value is attached to the use of these studs; and while the use is not prescribed, it is heavily recommended. I 287 do not know whether the noble Lord would like to let me know of any positive instances so that, if there are many, I may see whether it is worth doing anything about. But I did not up to now think that it was.