Rear Lights Bill Passed : Two Tail Lamps to be Obligatory
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THE House of Commons, last Friday, passed the Road Transport
Lighting (Rear Lights) Bill, including the amendments made to it in the House of Lords, Earlier, in the Upper House, Earl Howe had unsuccessfully sought to limit the scope of the Bill to commercial vehicles. He was equally unsuccessful in an attempt to postpone the need for carrying rear reflectors until October, 1956.
The report stage of the Road Transport Lighting (Amendment) Bill was also completed last Friday, and, as reported by our Parliamentary correspondent, the Bill was read a third time.
The Road Transport Lighting (Rear Lights) Bill requires that as from October 1, 1954, vehicles must carry at the rear two efficient red reflectors. A tail light may be combined with a reflector. In the case of a vehicle drawing a trailer, only the trailer need carry reflectors.
Date to be Prescribed
In addition, vehicles must have two red tail lights " in a clean and efficient condition." The Minister of Transport will prescribe the date on which this part of the Act is to come into force.
A vehicle with a load projecting to the rear more than 3 ft, 6 in. must, during the hours of darkness, carry a rear lamp within 3 ft. 6 in. of the end of the load. The Minister may, in relation to certain vehicles, allow the lamp to be placed a greater distance from the end of .the load, but not more than 6 ft. This provision will not be introduced before October I, 1954, the actual date to be decided by the Minister,
He may also, by regulations, require a vehicle to carry a rear light to mark the width of a laterally overhanging load of more than a certain dimension. Towing and towed vehicles may be included in these regulations. Again, this requirement will not be introduced before October 1, 1954.
Lamps on loads overhanging to the rear and the sides will be additional to the normal tail light or lights on the vehicle itself.
White reversing lights are made legal by the new measure.
There will be no obligation on a vehicle, operator to fit separate lamps for different purposes if one type of lamp satisfies all requirements. This provision is to come into force on October 1, 1954.