Portable Smoke Meter Wanted
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TOaid enforcement, what we need a simple and portable smokemeasuring instrument which will enable us to draw up a more exact regulation and make enforcement easier," stated Mr. John Hay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, in the Hou3e of Commons last week, during a discussion on the emission of smoke by diesel vehicles.
The Warren Spring laboratory had devised a measuring instrument, he went on, but this was suitable only for use in a workshop. It was not adaptable for use on the road, and so far the laboratory had been unable to suggest a way in which a portable instrument could be produced.
The Government had under consideration the possibility of requiring the control for an excess-fuel device to be placed out of reach of the driver's teat.
"If we can put it in some other part of the vehicle, perhaps under the bonnet, the driver can use it when starting the vehicle from cold, but not when it is running," Mr. Hay explained.
The dominant idea behind research into the problem by industry was the prevention of pollutants, rather than their cla acceptance as something unavoidable which required removal by means of a purifier or filter.
A number of suggestions and inventions was put to the Minister every year, but although optimistic claims were made they were seldom found to be justified, even in part.
Mr. Hay wanted it to be brought home to drivers and vehicle owners that to cause diesel vehicles to smoke was not only anti-social but also wasteful and unnecessary. He wanted members of the public who were annoyed by smoky vehicles to inform the operators.
" It is in the interest of everyone in the country that this annoying and troublesome nuisance on our roads should be disposed of as quickly as possible. That is something that everyone in Britain can do something about," said Mr. Hay.
The discussion was initiated by Mr. Dudley Smith (Cons., Brentford and Chiswick). who was supported by Mr. R. Gresham Cooke (Cons., Twickenham).