TWILIGHT DANGERS

Evening Star, Issue 22229, 6 January 1936, Page 11

TWILIGHT DANGERS

MAHER OF COMMON CONCERN “ Bad public lighting, especially on a main thoroughfare, is a gamble with fate,” said Mr A. Maurice Bell, in his presidential address to the conference of the Association of Public Lighting Engineers in London. It had been shown during the first few months of this year that the worst period of the day for road accidents was between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., and the second worst was between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. This was during and just after the change-over from natural to artificial light, before road users became accustomed to the altered conditions of visibility rendered by good, had, or indifferent public lighting. ' In the interest of safety proper lighting should be made compulsory on all toads in and through towns and on all main arterial roads carrying heavy traffic, he said. The cost should be met out of a comipon fund, to which local and county authorities should contribute, with a general contribution from the Road Fund. '

Mr W. J. Alibright said that when the electric discharge lamp was first introduced, the chief criticism was its effect on the human complexion. Women considered to be vitally interested in the preservation of a more or less ruddy complexion were called in to help the campaign. There was now practically no criticism of colour effects.

Viscount Elmley, M.P., Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister of Transport, said the action taken by that Minister to reduce the number of accidents on the roads had begun to show definite results.