HC Deb 21 June 1991 vol 193 c346W
Mr. Fearn

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has conducted into the effects of glare from on-coming car lights on dual carriageways and motorways.

Mr. Chope

Trials were carried out in the early 1960s and in the late 1970s into the effects of anti-dazzle screens erected on the central reserves of sections of the M 1 and M6 motorways. The M6 trial was covered by three reports, a report by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, social survey division No. SS 1058 of 1976; TRRL report SR 327 of 1977 and TRRL report No. 955 of 1980. Copies of these reports are in the Library of the House.

There is continuing concern about glare from on-coming lights on all types of roads, often resulting from the poor standard of aim of headlamps on vehicles. This is why new stricter checks on aim will be introduced shortly into the annual test for heavy goods vehicles and extended to cover private car testing as soon as possible.