§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport when(a) the M6 between its junction with the M1 and junction 3 and (b) the Coventry eastern bypass will be provided with lighting.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThere is no case yet for lighting either of these roads. However, a scheme to widen the M6, including the stretch between the M1 and junction 3, is in the Department's road programme, and as part of that scheme we will he reassessing the case for lighting any of the unlit stretches.
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§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions he has drawn from the use of plastic lighting shields fixed to the central barriers of part of the M6 between Coventry and Birmingham; and what plans he has to extend their use to other motorways.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe plastic vane type anti-glare screen on the section of the M6 in Warwickshire above the central reserve safety fencing was erected as a trial in the mid–1970s. The trial showed that, while the screen was effective in cutting off light from oncoming vehicle headlights, the installation had no significant effect on the number of injury accidents along this length of motorway.
The results of the trial are reported in report No. SS 1058:1976 published by the social survey division of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys; TRRL report No. SR 327:1977 and TRRL report No. 955:1980. Copies of these reports are in the House Library.
I have no general plans to install anti-glare screens on other motorways. However, should a specific problem of headlight glare be identified due to the alignment of a section of road then the provision of an anti-glare device might be considered.