§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is the policy of his Department to continue to use or to phase out the use of clock switches on main roads due to the frequency of power cuts upsetting the timing mechanism.
§ Mr. CarmichaelFor some years preference has been given to the use of photocells for switching road lighting and the majority of recently installed lighting on trunk roads is so controlled. It would be expensive to replace all existing clock switches by photocells and there is, therefore, no programme for phasing out the use of clocks, other than in the course of normal replacement of obsolete lighting.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average life of a sodium filament installed in the M system in the United Kingdom; and how long is it anticipated that tungsten filaments will be used for highway lighting.
England Wales Year Trunk roads Grants to highway authorities principal roads Trunk roads Grants to highway authorities principal roads 1969–70 … … 252 215 not available not available 1970–71 … … 312 376 14 9 1971–72 … … 718 626 97 38 1972–73 … … 825 695 106 84 1973–74 … … 2,703* 739 331 123 1974–75 provision … … 2,300* 700 600 200 * These figures include expenditure fog prone motorway lighting programme.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of lighting a mile of highway, using modern lighting techniques, expressed in terms of any domestic user or appliance.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe Question cannot be answered because of differences in electricity tariffs, but the electrical loading for a mile of modern highway
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§ Mr. CarmichaelSodium lamps of the type used in motorway lighting are replaced annually. The few remaining tungsten filament systems on the Department's roads are being phased out. I cannot comment on other highway authorities' policies.
§ Mr Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost per mile of installing the new lighting system on the M1.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe cost of lighting recently installed on the southern end of Ml was some £52,000 per mile. This includes the costs of alterations to safety fences.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the running cost per mile for lighting the Ml.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe cost of operating the low-pressure sodium lighting on the Ml motorway is expected to be of the order of £2,200 per mile per annum.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the expenditure by his Department on providing highway lighting on primary and secondary roads in England and Wales during each of the past five years and the provision for the current year.
§ Mr. CarmichaelThe figures readily available are as follows:
lighting is about 15 kilowatts, broadly equivalent to the loading of a large domestic cooker.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the lighting on roads within the jurisdiction of his Department is subject to photocell control.
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§ Mr. CarmichaelI am obtaining this information and will write to the hon. Member.