ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.
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Viscount Cecil's Bill to be Opposed. Dimming of Headlights. The Unnecessary Use of Motor Horns. Warnings for Minor Offences. Compulsory Insurance of Motor Vehicles.
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent.
AA THEN Viscount Cecil's Road Vehicles RegulaV V tion Bill conies up in the House of Lords for second reading on Wednesday, December 12th, Lord Denman will move its rejection.'
Dinaming Headlights.
MR. DAY, having alleged that a large number of accidents had -occurred during the past twelve months owing to the dazzling effect of large headlights used by motorists, suggested that legislation should be introduced to compel motorists to dhu their lights on approaching oncoming traffic. Colonel Ashley saidwas not aware that the number of accidents tat might be attributed to the dazzling effect of headlights had shown any tendency to increase during the past twelve months. Even if such a tendency existed he was not satisfied that, the regulation requiring the dimming of headlights on approaching oncoming traffic would add to the safety of the roads at night.
Colonel Howard Bury suggested that dipping headlights were of great service. Mr. Day referred to the Continental practice of dimming, and thought that an expression of opinion by the Minister to the motorists of this country on the advisability of dimming would" be of great assistance. Colonel 'Ashley remarked that it did not follow that the Continent was right and we were wrong. . Mr. Becket observed that the motoring organizations had looked into the matter and had advised their members not to dim.
Roundabout System in the Mall.
AN inquiry was made by Viscount Sand on as to .what factors other than traffic recommended the use of the roundabout system in London, in view of the fact that there had never been a single occasion when traffic, even before the system was adopted, was unable to go at full speed round the Victoria statue in front of Buckingham Palace. He asked whether, in view of the dangers to pedestrians there. owing to the speed of vehicles, the Minister Of Transport would revert to the old system.
Colonel Ashley pointed out that the regular flow of traffic in the vicinity of the Victoria Memorial had certainly been facilitated by the eliminatiOn of traffic intersections consequent upon the adoption of the roundabout system. The London Traffic Advisory Committee had the working of all these systems under constant review from the point of view of public safety, and he had no doubt that they would recommend a reversion to the earlier system where they were satisfied that such a course was necessary in the interest of the safety of , pedestrians.
Compulsory Insurance.
MR. WARDLAW-MILNE'S Motor Vehicles Insurance Bill which has been published, pro vides in the principal clause that Subsection (2) of Section V of the Roads Act, 1920, shall be repealed and it be laid down that a county council shall not issue any licence for which application is made unless the applicant shall produce a policy of insurance issued by a company or society approved by the Minister of Transport, and covering the owner, for the period for which the application for a licence is made, against his legal liability to n26
any third party as a result of accident or damage caused by such motor vehicle.
Clause 2 provides that the insurers shall pay to the claimant such damages or compensation and costs agreed or adjudged to be due to the claimant to the extent of their liability under the policy.
The Rejection of the Bill to be Moved.
MAJOR PRICE has given notice of an amendment for the rejection of the Bill on the ground that it proposes to compel the owners of motor vehicles to insure against their legal liability to pay compensation for damage caused to third parties, but omits to make any provision for requiringa similar insurance by the owners of other road vehicles.
A Welsh Toll Gate.
THE freeing of the toll gate on the Cardiff-Penarth road has been the subject of discussion between the Ministry. of Transport and representatives of the local authorities, but no definite application or scheme has been submitted for the abolition of the toll gate, or for the construction of an alternative
road over the River Ely. • Road Fund Grants to Lincolnshire.
THE amounts of the grants made from the Road Fund in the past four years to the local authorities in the county of Lincolnshire were :--1924-25, £101,074; 1925-26, £94,970; 1926-27, £142,798; and 1927-28,£236,121.,
Warnings for Minor Offences..
THE number of warning letters issued by the Metropolitan Police to motorists reported for minor motoring offences since July 18th, 1928, is
officially given as 4,280. It is impossible to say without elaborate research in how many cases persons who have received a warning letter have been subsequently summoned.
Unnecessary Use of Motor Horns.
MOTORISTS' sounding motor horns at night and in the early hours of the morning to attract the attention of friends in the house at which the car is waiting is one of the pcints being considered by the conference which the Minister of Transport Convened recently to consider the steps to be taken to mitigate unnecessary noise caused by motor traffic. The report is expected very shortly.
Storage of Benzole.
MR. DAY, having called attention to .a large fire' at Shoreham Harbour on November. 11th, only 30 yards away from a number of benzole storage sheds, asked whether regulations existed as to the storage of benzole in large quantities in thickly populated areas. The Home Secretary stated that the storage of benzole was subject to the requirement of a licence under the Petroleum Act, which was granted by the local authority. The conditioiis as to the mode of storage in each case would be laid down by the local authority. There were no general Government regulations as to storage. Inspection was a matter for the local authority.