English Contest Rules Settled: . Compet i t ion ompetition Inquiries C HANGES in
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the rules for the All-England Lorry Driver of the Year Competition were approved on Monday by the national organizing committee. The most important innovations are the classification of articulated vehicles by the length of the semi-trailer and the addition of a third class.
The organizing committee of the Scottish Commercial Vehicle Driver of the Year Competition also met on Monday. Mr. J. 0. Hastie, secretary, was instructed to make 'further inquiries about support for the competition, the future of which is in question. An. official statement will be issued shortly.
In the English competition, Class F will be for articulated outfits with semi-trailers less than 22 ft. long. Semi-trailers from 22 ft. to 27 ft. long will fall within Class G. The new Class H will include " artics " having prime movers over 3 tons unladen .and hauling semi-trailers of any length with box or tank bodies, or flat or sided semi-trailers 27 ft. to 30 ft. long. Where semi-trailers are more than 30 ft. long the vehicles will be included in the "Queen Mary" class.
It was thought that the reclassification would reduce the disparity between the categories and remove unfair handicaps on tanker drivers.
Width Defined Vehicle width will take into account projecting mirrors only if they are mounted less than 5 ft. 6 in. above ground level. Details of insurance cover are to be printed in the regulations.
It was agreed that competitors who did not normally drive commercial vehicles should be excluded, and the rules were amended accordingly. The reintroduction of black-outs for cab windows giving a view to the rear was approved. A clause requiring a driver to signify completion of a test by switching on the lights was deleted. It will be necessary for drivers merely to indicate when they have completed a test."
Deductions for faults on the road section of the competition will be up to a maximum of 20 marks. Drivers will be disqualified for any flagrant breach of the regulations, for dangerous or careless driving, or for failure to complete all the tests. Twenty marks will be deducted for every fault during the manceuvring tests.
Team Entry Restricted
It was agreed that no driver should be entered in more than one team. Three stewards will be appointed to each eliminating contest. The organizing committee will reserve the right to limit the number of entries and to cut out any part of a road test or route.
Alter a long debate, it was decided to review again at the end of the season a proposal that the organizers should supply liehicles for contestants in the class championships of the final contest. Vehicles will be supplied only for the competitors for the national title.
If the organizers of the French competition, which will be held in Paris on October 12, agree to certain assurances on its conduct, sought by the English committee, the matter of British participation will be discussed at a full meeting of the organizing committee on March 31.
An effort is being made to find a site for an eliminating round in Manchester. Mr, A. L. MacFarlane, Manchester's road safety officer, is organizing the contest, and a provisional committee has been set up.
FOUR ROAD SCHEMES TO START
WORK is to start shortly on modernizing a further section of the Great North Road. The winding 2+-naile stretch between Buckden railway bridge and Ellington Brook, Brampton (Hunts) will have two lanes when work is completed next year. A new railway bridge and roundabout will also be built.
The East Ham-Barking by-pass, which forms part of the London and Tilbury trunk road,-is to have another carriageway added. The improvements, costing £350,000, will extend from Prince Regent's Lane (A112). West Ham, to the existing double carriageway in Barking.
In Scotland, the A77 between Eastwood Toll and Malletsheugh In (Renfrewshire) is to be improved. The Secretary of State has dismissed an appeal against the project by the Church of Scotland, and another appeal against a compulsory purchase order. Work is expected to start this year.
Provided that no unforeseen difficulties arise, work should start next year on the building of •a Slough by-pass, which should be completed in two years. This was stated by the Minister of Transport in Parliament on Monday.
HAULIERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND • INSURANCE
MANY hauliers •did not understand their insurance policies, and did not take the trouble to find out against what risks they were covered, Mr. J. Foley Egginton told a meeting on Monday in Birmingham of the Institute of Traffic Administration.
Mr. F. J. Devereux, of the Zurich Insurance Co., Ltd., and Mr. D. Green, of the Bedford General Insurance Co., Ltd., had spoken about transport insurance. A member asked why a bus operator should not be liable for an injury to a passenger caused by rapid braking by the driver to avoid an accident.
Mr. Devereux pointed out that this type of liability could be covered only by a personal-accident policy.