Road Transport Topics
Page 45
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In Parliament
By Oar Special Parliamentary Correspondent
RELIABILITY OF POLICE PATROL SPEEDOMETERS QUESTIONED.
THE Home Secretary informed Major Beaumont Thomas that speedometers used on Metropolitan Police Patrol cars were not restricted to a particular make, and were those normally fitted to the various types of car employed. To ensure their accuracy, instruments were tested twice daily by timing the vehicles, over a measured distance, with chronometers.
Major Thomas aSked if, the Home Secretary were aware that the principal manufacturers of speedometers in this country had stated that speedometers could not be tested accurately in that way, and would he therefore give directions that, in future, no ,prosecutions for exceeding the speed limit should be instituted, unless further evidence were available. The Home Secretary was not prepared to admit that the tests i; ere of no value.
EMPLOYERS' DISREGARD OF DRIVING HOURS.
REFERRING to the case of a lorry driver, who was charged at Cardiff Police Court on March 27 with driving more than 5+ hours at a time and more than 11 hours in 24 hours, and failing to take JO hours rest in 24 hours, Mr. W. Thorne asked the Minister of Transport what action he intended to take and whether he was aware that the driver's log book showed that he had worked for 16+ hours, with only half an hour for lunch, and many other similar offences. When this man complained to his employers—a Liverpool concern —the Member continued, he was told that if he did not like the conditions 'he could get out," and when Charged with the present (Aim-ice he was discharged by his employers. Would the Minister take steps, he asked, to ensure that enough time was allowed for longdistance journeys, so that drivers were not compelled to exceed the speed limit or to work such long-hours at a stretch.
Mr. Hore-Belisha replied that he was not empowered to take any action in A case heard, in the ordinary course, before magistrates, Employers, who failed to observe the law in this respect, were liable to prosecution, and he understdod that in this instance steps had been taken with a view to instituting further proceedings.
Mr. D. Grenfell asked whether the Minister would consider suspending the services in cases of repeated offences by the same employers.
The Minister of Transport said he did not know that he had power to do that. The law had endeavoured to protect the driver, by limiting his hours, and it was most undesirable that any employer should abuse his authority. Mr. Thorne remarked that, if the Minister had power to call for the time-. table of running, say between Birmingham and Liverpool, he could see that drivers were compelled to exceed the 20 m.p.h. speed limit in order to do the journey.
RADIO-INTERFERENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR TROLLEYBUSES.
I N the House of 'Commons, Captain Erskine-Bolst asked the Minister of . Transport to define his requirements in connection with preventing trolley buses from interfering with radio reception. He also inquired whether they would apply to existing trolleybuses as well as new ones, whether he could give a list of those places to which the requirements would apply, and, if not, whether he would name the towns which possessed trolleybuses not conforming to such requirements.
Mr. Hore-Belisha replied that, in approving the designs of new trolleybases, he required them to be so designed and equipped as to minimize, as Ear as practicable, interference with radio reception, but he had not yet prescribed a method of fulfilling this requirement. He stated that he was not in a position to give a list of the towns possessing trolley buses which did not conform to this requirement, but the majority of those constructed during the past two years were, he added, so equipped.
ROUNDABOUTS STILL NECESSARY.
THE Minister has eizpressed his disagreement with the view that the introduction of. the 30 m.p.h. speed limit has rendered the roundabout no longer necessary.
LEGIBILITY OF REAR NUMBER PLATES.
FURTHER practical experiments have been carried out, within the past few weeks, in the lighting of identification plates of motor vehicles, and the Minister of Transport expects shortly to receive a report upon the subject.
DRIVING EXAMINERS' AREAS TOO LARGE?
ACOMPLAINT was made that residents in Bolton and district, who had to undergo driving tests, were compelled to visit Manchester for the purpose. It was suggested that tests should be held in Bolton, which was the centre of .a population of about 2,50,000. Mr. Hore-Belisha pointed out that there must be a radius for each particular examiner, and Bolton, which was only 10 miles distant and where there were comparatively few applicants, fell Within the Manchester radius. Everything possible would he done to arrange times and dates suitable to applicants.
DRIVING TESTERS MAY STATE REASONS FOR FAILURE.
DURING the fortnight ended Saturday, March 30, the Minister of Transport stated, 5.003 candidates were examined in driving tests. Of these 4,653 were successful and 843 failed. The whole organization was now, complete and it would shortly he his duty to appoint a date after which no person who had not held a licence before April 1, 1034, would be able to obtain a new one without passing a test. It would, therefore, avoid subsequent delay if all those who were liable to the :test would. -voluntarily present themselves. They might obtain forms of application from the :office of any county council or county borough.
It Was alleged by Captain Strickland that cases were arising in which the tester refused to divulge to unsuccessful applicants the cause of their failure, and Colonel Sandeman Allen suggested that examiners should be instructed not to refuse such information when it was re4uested.
Mr. Hore-Belisha said he did not think it would he desirable for him to instruct examiners to discuss their decisions with candidates. Every candidate had the right of appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction.
Sir W. •Brass desired to know what objection there was to telling the prospective driver why he had failed. Mr. Hore-Belisha said there was no objection to this. -The question was whether he should issue formal. instructions to that effect. He thought the House would appreciate the distinction.
Several members having repeated the request, the Minister said he would consider any representations made to him as a result of experience gained; but had not received a single complaint of the manner in which any Of these tests had been conducted, and he, did not want to overburden the examiners with formal instructions.