§ Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway there were in 1988, 1978 and 1968; and what proportion of each were lit.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe information requested is as follows:
Miles Percentage lit 1968 493 5 1978 1,261 20 1988 1,577 27 These figures relate to motorways in England for which the Secretary of State is the highway authority. The figure for the percentage lit in 1988 is an estimate based on latest available data.
§ Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify the research known to his Department to have been conducted into driver reaction times in changing from lit to unlit conditions; and if he will place copies of the research in the Library.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe research in question is detailed in "The Effect on Vision of Terminations of Isolated Lengths of Fixed Lighting", published by the Australian Road Research Board in 1973. A copy has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he uses to determine whether or not a stretch of motorway or trunk road should be lit.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe criteria are published in "Appraisal of New and Replacement Lighting on Trunk Roads and Trunk Road Motorways", the Department's highways and traffic advice note TA 49/86. A copy is in the Library.
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§ Mr. BatisteTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has that lighting on motorways can reduce night-time accidents by 30 per cent., and if he will place copies of that evidence in the Library.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe Department's current assessment that the provision of lighting on motorways can lead to a 30 per cent. reduction in night-time accidents is based on international research. That research has been studied by the transport and road research laboratory. It confirmed the Department's assessment. Details of this study are given in "Light on Motorway Accident Rates", an article published by the Institution of Highways and Transportation in 1987. A copy has been placed in the Library.