asked the Secretary of State for Transport what work his Department has carried out into the effect on drivers of moving from a lit section of motorway to an unlit section of motorway during the hours of darkness.

No research has been carried out on the effect of drivers moving from lit to unlit sections of motorway, but care is taken when designing such lighting schemes to ensure that lighting terminates away from intersections and areas where there are direction signs. If possible, the lighting is arranged to terminate on straight sections of motorway.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of motorway there are now in England and Wales; and how many miles of motorway in England and Wales have overhead lighting.

There are 1,260 miles of motorway in England for which we are responsible and about 58 miles in Wales. In England 252 miles is lit, and in Wales 15.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria govern his decision on whether or not to install lighting on motorways in England and Wales.

For those motorways in England for which we have responsibility, lighting is provided only where there is special need, such as urban situations where there are high traffic densities and frequent interchanges, on gradients, where there are above average fog difficulties or where the night time accident rate is high. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for motorways in Wales.