Road Traffic Bill May Fall By the Wayside .
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From our Parliamentary Corresponden
rHANCES of the Road Traffic Bil
becoming law this year are no exceedingly slender. When Parliamen resumes after the Whitsun recess it wil have fewer than 50 working days beton the end of the session, and a large pro portion of this time is already earmarkei for legislation, such as the Finance Bill which the ' Government has to pusl through.
Though Ministers will not admit it the Government has been caught on the wrong foot by the opposition which the Road Traffic Bill has aroused, and wil probably be quite content to see it fat. by the wayside after its preliminary air. ing in the Lords.
Government spokesmen in the Lord: have promised a review of many of thc provisions of the Bill, including the list of violations which carry automatic disqualification if three offences are committed in three years.
If the measure goes no further this session, Whitehall experts will be able to redraft it so that it can be presented in a more acceptable form later on.
Drinks on Coaches
ELEVEN M.P.s are trying to force the Government to allow drinks to be served on some buses and coaches—a concession which the Commons, on Ministerial advice, has already rejected once.
The M.P.s-10 Tories and one Socialist —have tabled another clause for the Licensing Bill which, if accepted, would give Traffic Commissioners power to grant liquor licences to owners of public service vehicles.
This clause, which will be discussed when the Commons resume after the Whitsun recess, follows the lines of the suggestion turned down when the Bill was debated in committee—licences would be granted only for vehicles which supplied food and ran on specified services.
A person guilty of an offence in connection with these licences would be liable to a fine of 125.
FRENCH OUTPUT UP rtURING March a total of 21,650 goods vehicles and buses was produced in France. This compares with totals of 18,899 units for the previous month and of 21,590 units for the same month of last year. Over the whole first quarter of 1961 a total of 61,987 motor vehicles excluding private cars was produced by French manufacturers, as against 60,423 units in the corresponding period of 1960.
SERVICE
THE Kenning Motor Group have successfully tendered for the provision of the service area on the new Birmingham to Bristol motorway. It covers an area of approximately 11 acres.