AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.

11th August 1925, Page 18
11th August 1925
Page 18
Page 19
Page 18, 11th August 1925 — ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Beardmore Taxicabs and Trade Facilities. Farmers and the Cost of Roads. The Inspection of Public-service Vehicles. A Use for the Road Fund Surplus.

SOME interest has been aroused by Mr. Runciman's interrogation of the Secretary to the Treasury regarding a guarantee under the Trade Facilities Act to enable the Beardmore Taxicab Co., Ltd., to buy and place, on the London streets about 750 new taxicabs, which will be built by Beardmore (Paisley), Ltd. The Treasury having agreed to the guarantee, some concern was displayed by members regarding the effect upon existing cab proprietors.

The official view was that the new cabs, generally speaking, would be in place of obsolete cabs, the normal wastage in London being estimated at about 500 caba a year, which. is the rate of supply under the proposed arrangement.

The Secretary to the Treasury, when further pressed as to the demand for this "excessive number of cabs" and the ability of the existing cab companies to provide them, remarked that he was advised that there was a demand in order to replace wastage, and the Trade Facilities Committee were satisfied that the alternative to this arrangement was that the order would go to French, Italian and American firms, Some days later a more complete Government statement was made regarding the Beardmore guarantee. The purpose is to enable the Beardmore Co., Ltd., to sell cabs to owner-drivers on the hire-purchase system. ThP. share capital of the company will be held by William Beardmore and Co., Ltd., who also own all the shares of Beardmore (Paisley), Ltd.

Road Burden on Farmers.

IN the course of the debate on • agriculture in the House one heard many proposals for helping the industry, and some stress was laid upon the high rates for the upkeep of roads which are unclassified, but which, nevertheless, bear a great deal of heavy traffic. The Minister of Agriculture was advised to co-operate closely with the Ministry of Transport in regard to this matter.

Mr. E. C. Drewe made a claim for Devon as the most beautiful county in England—not without dissent from other members—and remarked that Devonshire people had to pay a price for the distinction. In the summer chars-h-bancs and motorcars came to the county without bringing anything but passengers, who were here to-day and gone to-morrow, and a considerable amount of damage was done to the roads for which farmers had to pay very heavily. He spoke of a district containing 28 parishes with a population under 14,000, in which there are 265 miles of level roads. These were constructed in early days for farm traffic so that only 25 miles have been classified and -so made eligible for grants from the Road Fund.

Another member, Mr. Runciman, insisted that the whole of the expenditure due to heavy traffic on country roads should be a national charge. In view of the recent declarations of the Minister of Transport it could not be expected that the Minister of Agriculture would encqurage the demand for throwing the cost of road maintenance entirely on the Road Fund or the Exchequer, and the latter, in his reply to the debate, discreetly passed over the subject,

The Cost of Arterial Roads.

SOME members of Parliament desire that the cost of arterial roads all over the country may be referred to comprehensively as costing so much per square yard of surface or per lineal mile, but it cannot he done.

Colonel Ashley points out with regard to road costs that new roads of arterial importance have been opened by numerous local authorities during the present year and comprehensive particulars are not in possession of the Ministry of Transport. Besides, obviously, owing to the great variations in widths and specifications, the cost of land and the engineering difficulties of different schemes, average figures would be of little utility. The annual report on the Road Fund now being prepared is to contain general information on the subject.

Regulated Omnibus Services.

SIR FREDERICK HALL having directed attention to the Prosecution of certain small omnibus proprietors in connection with the regulated services on London streets and suggested that in view of the fact that they were permitted to resume their service on the same route, particulars of the offence should be deleted from the licence.

The Home Secretary stated that the offence charged was failing to maintain a regular service in accordance with the deposited schedule. Particulars of those offences were not endorsed on the men's licences, so that they would not be handicapped in consequence of whet had happened. It may be useful, however, to point out for future guidance that, under Sections 6 and 7 of the London Traffic Act, there are penal provisions applicable to second and subsequent offences.

Road Fund Rumours.

LORD MONTAGU'S startling suggestion that the Chancellor of the Exchequer contemplated a raid on the Road Fund for the purpose of financing the Electricity Commissioners has been proved to be based on a transaction which cannot well be described as other than a borrowing transaction between two Government departments. His sounding of the alarm has, however, done this good service: it has evoked some powerful expressions of opinion on behalf of road users against any tampering with the ultimate destination of the road taxes. One found it difficult to believe that Mr. Churchill, after his fencing with powerful trade interests during the passage of his Budget, would immediately come along with another scheme which would provoke the hostility of much wider interests—not only the road users, but practically all the local authorities in the country who look to the Road Fund not only for present relief but benefits to come.

The Chancellor's statement should be read in full, because it vaguely hints at future possibilities which, it is safe to anticipate, will, if ever realized, come within the purview of a distant successor in office.

Chancellor's Statement on Road Fund Surplus.

MR. CHURCHILL said that the Government had under Consideration, although no decision had been taken, a proposal whereby the surplus funds of the Road Fund now invested in Treasury Bills might be temporarily advanced on commercial terms to assist in financing schemes of electrical development which were being prepared. That, of course, 'did not involve any permanent diversion of the Road Fund to purposes other than the maintenance, etc., of roads.

Whether the whole of the rapidly extending income from motor taxation should continue indefinitely to be allocated to the maintenance and improvement of roads, irrespective of the comparative needs of these and other services or of the general financial position of the country, was a matter on which he had not as yet formed any conclusion. The surplus revenues of the Fund for some years ahead were already hypothecated to the numerous schemes of road improvement now in course of execution. The relevant claims of the rural roads affected by the increasing traffic as compared with the heavy cost of new trunk roads also appeared to require further consideration. In a further statement the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that the surplus amounted to about £15,000,000 and that no change could possibly be made without Parliament giving its approval.

Inspection of Public-service Vehicles.

FURTHER inquiries have been addressed to the Minister of Transport concerning his legislative intentions regarding the condition of mechanical equipment and frequency of periodical tests of passenger-carrying vehicles. Provision is made for inquiries into read accidents under Section 12 of the London Traffic Act and theMinistry of Transport is considering the extension of similar powers to the rest of the country.

With regard to periodical tests it is probable the forthcoming legislation for the better regulation of public-service vehicleaWill include some provision for unifying the practice of licensing authorities which at present varies widely.

Non-splinterable Glass for Passenger Vehicles.

A SUGGESTION has been made that in view of the number of people injured by broken glass in recent accidents to public-service vehicles the Government should consider the introduction of legislation to compel the various tramway and omnibus authorities to use a non-splinterable window.

Colonel Moore-Brabazon, on behalf of the Ministry of Transport, has stated that he has no reason to believe that there has been any substantial increase in the proportion of accidents of this kind and, while the Minister is anxious to encourage the use of some satisfactory form of non-splinterable glass in all passenger-carrying vehicles, be is advised that for reasons of cost it would not he practicable to impose conditions regarding its use.


comments powered by Disqus