HC Deb 03 December 1963 vol 685 cc165-6W
Mr. Speir

asked the Minister of Transport how many vehicles have been checked for the emission of diesel smoke by inspectors of his Department during the past 15 months on the roads of Britain; how many of these vehicles have been found to be emitting excessive smoke; and what penalties were imposed on the offenders.

Mr. Marples

During the last fifteen months 50,559 diesel-engined vehicles were observed at nation-wide roadside checks. 5,684 were considered to be emitting too much smoke; of these 138 were issued with immediate prohibition notices and3,170 with delayed prohibition notices. The remainder were dealt with by warning letters to the operators and subsequent visits by vehicle examiners.

A number of local checks have also been held, but lull figures of the penalties imposed are not available. At local checks held between June and October, 1963, 180 immediate and 1,863 delayed prohibition notices were issued in which excessive smoke was a feature.

been refused such National Assistance since 1st November, 1963.

Mr. Whitelaw

The information is given in the following table:

Mr. Speir

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the development of a roadside meter for measuring smoke emission by motor vehicles.

Mr. Marples

There is no immediate prospect of a meter being developed which could be used from the roadside to measure smoke emitted from motor vehicles. There are, however, meters which work by attachment to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle to be tested; the possibility of using them as a means of enforcing a statutory standard of smoke emission on roads is being investigated.

Mr. Speir

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make regulations to provide that exhaust pipes on all motor vehicles should be constructed so that fumes and vapour are emitted in a downward direction near ground level.

Mr. Marples

No. In my view the design of motor vehicle exhaust pipes is best left to the discretion of the manufacturers. In some circumstances downward pointing exhaust pipes have disadvantages.