Road Transport Activities
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IN PARLIAMENT
Extension of London Trolley. bus System.
THELoudon Passenger Transport Board is promoting a private Bill this session to provide certain services of trolley vehicles, to work sorns tramways by electrical power on the overhead system, to construct new works, and to acquire lauds, etc. The principal part of the Bill, relating to the use of trolley vehicles, is dealt with fully in our feature, "Operating Aspects of Passenger Transport."
Road Surfaces and Accidents.
APLEA having been made for the enforcement upon all county and municipal authorities of the use of nonskid road-surface materials as a means for preventing road accidents, Colonel lleadlam, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, pointed out that the practice of the department was to press upon highway authorities the use of materials which afforded a nonslippery surface. Hecadded that it was hoped to produce before very long statistics on road accidents which might show in what number of accidents the element of road surface entered.
First-aid Knowledge.
A SUGGESTION has been made II.' that, in view of the number of accidents in which motorbuses are involved, the conductors of all long-distance coaches and buses should be required to be trained in first aid. Colonel Headlam informed the House that the Minister of Transport did not think he would be justified in adopting the proposal, but he would consider whether the desirability of a knowledge of first aid could be usefully brought to the notice of those concerned.
Reflecting Mirrors that are Ineffective.
Slit WILLIAM BRASS called the attention of the Home Secretary to recent police prosecutions of drivers of motorcars, with mirrors inside the cars, for driving at night with the rear blinds drawn down in order to protect themselves from the dazzling effect of the headlights of following vehicles, and asked whether he would circularise all police forces that this circumstance should be taken into account before prosecutions were instituted.
Sir John Gilmour, in a written reply, stated that his attention had not been called to any recent prosecutions. The regulation required that every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, should be equipped with a reflecting mirror so constructed and fitted as to enable the driver to be, or to become, aware of the presence in its rear of any other vehicle whose driver desired to pass it. Whether that regulation was complied with when the rear blinds were drawn was a quistion,of interpretation which he had no authority to determine, but he felt sure that the consideration to which Sir William Brass referred would be in the minds of chief officers of police and would be taken into account when considering any question of proceedings.
Spanish Rebate of Import Duties.
IR GIFFORD FOX asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any decision had yet been reached as to whether the recent action of the Spanish Government in granting a 35-per-cent. rebate in the duties levied on certain foreign motor vehicles entering Spain constituted an infringement of our commercial treaty with that country; and, if so, whether he proposed to make any protest in the matter or take any other action. Mr. Runcitnan replied :—The withholding of this rebate from United Kingdom motorcars was regarded by His Majesty's Government as a breach of the terms of Article 5 of the AngloSpanish Commercial Treaty and a claim that the rebate should be extended to United Kingdom motorcars was made in July last. As stated in a reply given on November 17, the Spanish Government has recently intimated that the rebate will be extended to United Kingdom cars.
Lord Mayor's Show.
TE Home Secretary states that he is satisfied that the arangements made this year in connection with the Lord Mayor's Show resulted in a considerable saving of time and reduction of inconvenience to the public, and he felt sure that he would be acting in accordance with the wishes of the House in expressing thanks to the City authorities for their assistance and cooperation in the matter. He would keep in touch with the City authorities with regard to further measures for reducing the obstruction.