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L.G.B. LAWS AND REGULATIONS.,

19th December 1918
Page 7
Page 7, 19th December 1918 — L.G.B. LAWS AND REGULATIONS.,
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

In March, 1915, a Departmental Committee was appointed by the President of Lite Local Government Board to consider the laws and regulations relating to the constructiou and use of road locomotives and heavy motorcars in Great Britain. This report has just been issued, and can be obtained, at the cost of 4d., from H.M. Stationery Office. The Committce consisted of Mr. E. Shortt, K.C., /ALP., e.'hairman; Mr. A. 0. G. Asher; Mr. P. AI. IS.osthwaite, M.I.C.E.; Mr. H. Howard Humphreys, M.I.C.E. Mr. E. J. Lovegrove, M.I.C.E. ; Mr. (now . Sir) John E. Thornycroft, A.M.I.C.E. ; Mr: J.

A group o recommendations was made ii respect to road locomotives, particularly with regard to weight, construelion and speed ; as, for instance, the Committee consider it desirable to use the Boulton block driving wheels, and it is recommended that the maximum limit of weight be increased in respect of vehicles so fitted from 14 to 18 tons.

Dealing now with heavy motorcars, the recommendations arc as follow:— The maximum unladen weight of a heavy motorcar should be increased to 6 tons, and the combined unladen weight of the ear and trailer should be increased to 8 tons.

The definition of the unladen weight of a motovcar should be amended.

The maximum laden weight and the maximum axle weight should not be altered.

Before a heavy motorcar is registered, it should be weighted by or in the presence of an officer of the registering authority and its correct unladen weight iefinitely ascertained, and the registering authority should be required to satisfy themselves that the correct weights and speed are marked on the car. The registering authority should be authorized to require a motorcar to be weighed, upon an application for registration, if the declared weight of the car unladen does not exceed 2 tons.

The distance which a heavy motorcar may be required to be driven to a weighing machine for the purpose of testing the axle weight should be increased to one mile, and registering and road authorities should for this purpose he em

powered to require a car to be driven to a weighing machine from any distance beyond the one mile limit, subject to provisions as to the payment of compensation and the delivery of a certificate of weight. The iniu3mum diameter for wheels of heavy motors fitted with iron, steel, or other hard tyres should be raised from 2 ft. to 2 ft. 9 ins., and a scale of minimum diameters should be prescribed, according to registered axle weight, where the registered axle weight exceeds four tons.

The edges of a tyre of iron, steel, or other hard material should be rounded. Bevelled edges should not be permitted. In other respects the regulations relating to the use of this description of tyre should not be altered.

The diameter of any wheel of a heavy motor, which is fitted with a solid rubber tyre or other tyre of a soft or elastic material.not being a pneumatic tyre, should not be less than 2 ft. 6 ins. No regulation need be made as to the size or shape of the tyre itself.

The maximum over-all length of a heavy motorcar should not exceed 26 ft. The overhang behind the driving axle should not exceed seven twenty-fourths of the over-all length of the car. These requirements should apply to motor omnibuses. Heavy motorcars registered and in use before amending regulations come into operation should be exempted from compliance with any new requirements as to construction, and the loads which such cars are at present permitted to carry should not be reduced.

The existing law, ■which permits a motorcar to be used to draw one trailer only, should be retained. Certain minor amendments should be made in the regulations relating to the use of trailers.

The present speed limit regulations should be retained, subject to the followlowing amendments, namely (a) that the speed for a heavy motorcar tyre with iron, steel, or other hard substance should not in any case exceed five miles an hour, and (6) that where a heavy motorcar draws a trailer and the wheel's of both vehicles are fitted with rubber 'tyres, the maximum speed should be eight miles an hour.

The Committee recommend, with regard to restrictions on heavy traffic on unsuitable roads, thatgar Motor omnibus and similar passenger traffic should be .brought under special regulation, and the procedure should be that laid down in Section 20 of the Local Government tEmergency Provisions) Act, 1916.

'3 Powers should be conferred on the Local Government Board and the Road Authorities to regulate through heavy motor traffic in order to secure that each traffic is, as far as practicable, required to use the roads which are constructed to carry it.

Dealing with a number of special questions, the recommendations are as follow :

The questipn of legalizing the use of self-propelled vehicles constructed on the wheel-less pedrail system should be further considered when the opportunity arises.

The provisions of the Town Police Clauses Acts, 1847 and 1889, so far as they relate to the licensing of motor omnibuses, should be reconsidered with a view to their revision in certain respects. The existing provisions with regard to the emission of smoke or visible vapour from locomotives or motorcars should be repealed, and in lieu thereof it stionld be made an offence to cause or permit the enaission of smoke or visible vapour from a locomotive or motorcar on a public highway in such quantity as to be a nuisance or danger to the public. The existing law should be amended so as to provide more effective measures for securing the strengthening and improvement of bridges which do not meet the requirements of heavy self-propelled traffic.

The various suggestions relating to the question of extraordinary traffic should be considered in connection with any amendment of the law on this matter.

Public funds should be made available to encourage the design and construction of heavy mechanically-propelled vehicles calculated to cause less damage to the roads and facilities given for trials and demonstrations of self-propelled vehicles which cannot ordinarily be used on the public roads without breach of the law.


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