AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

The Road Conference.

20th May 1909, Page 6
20th May 1909
Page 6
Page 6, 20th May 1909 — The Road Conference.
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Precis of Proceedings -concluded from page 192.

A joint paper (No. 34), by Mr. R. S. W. Perkins, the County Surveyor of the Isle of Ely, and Mr. R. . Thomas, was chiefly directed to proposals to limit motor vehicles to the capacities of weak roads. One preposterous suggestion was that only six inches of the width of any rigid motor tire should be taken into account in calculation of axle-weight, as, when running along a granite road with a cross-fall of one in 30, the whole of the tire does not bear. The same paper quoted a resolution, which was stated to have been passed at the Paris Congress, to reduce the load unit for a three-foot driving wheel from 8401b. per inch of width to 6001b., and they showed how this would reduce the back-axle weight, upon a 10-inch tire, from 7?i. tons to five tons, eight cwt. The arithmetic is correct, but the idea that commercial vehicles, whether running in paved areas or on strong tar-bound macadamised roads, neither of which is damaged by such traffic and present axle-weights, should be limited in this manner is far from reasonable. We cordially endorse the views of these gentlemen that weights should be regulated according to diameters, and that the principle of the Heavy Motor Car Order should be extended to traction engines and their trailers. The paper concluded with a tabular list of the agricultural and traction engines in England and Wales, the totals being 7,516 agricultural engines and 1,137 traction engines.

Other Subjects.

There were interesting papers on other subjects, but they are less germane to commercial motoring than those to which we have made reference in our précis of the proceedings. The collection of statistics (paper No. 7) upon scientific lines was strongly urged by Mr. G. Montagu Harris, the secretary to the County Councils Association, and there is little doubt that road improvement is retarded, both from national and local standpoints, by the absence of collated particulars, both contemporary and historical.

Three papers (Nos. 24 to 26) were concerned with the dust nuisance, and how it may be avoided or mitigated. The wear and tear of the surface and crust of the road. owing to the loosening of particles which are improperly held, was admitted to be the prime cause, and Lord Nfontagu of Beaulieu elaborated the argument to show that the motor did not produce dust in the absence of processes of construction and maintenance which were unsuitable for modern conditions of traffic. He strongly advocated the water-proofing of roads. Mr. T. H. Yabbicom, the city engineer of Bristol, from his own experience, emphasised the necessity for the use of suitable stone and its being firmly bound when laid.

The Resolutions.

Under the presidency of Lord Belper, certain resolutions were submitted to a conference of all sections on the third day. Motorists and other roes.' users were in a sorry minority, and any pretence that the voting was representative of interests other than those of county and borough surveyors cannot be substantiated. We do not, for this reason, allege that the voting was not highly intelligent, but we decline to admit that it was representative. The circumstances of the case inevitably tended in the direction of what must be termed a " packed " meeting. We are not concerned with more than a few of the 14 resolutions which were submitted, and we have already made passing reference (page 169 ante) to the fact that the organisers of the conference were very much at sea " in regard to motoring institutions and organisations, for which reason a continuing committee, as nomirated, contained no delegates of the Commercial Motor Users' Association or the Society of Motor Manufacturers.

Resolutions favourable to the following general matters. were approved : (a) The standardisation of a system to facilitate the collection and dissemination of all information in regard to roads and the traffic thereupon ; (b) the use of tar or other suitable liquids in the construction and maintenance of roads ; (e) the temporary right of authorities to prohibit traffic of heavy vehicles on their roads on the break-up of frost, or any other special cases where serious damage would be likely to result; (d) that the dropping of soil, mud or dirt upon the highway by the wheels of vehicles should be made an offence punishable by law ; (e) that the expense of maintaining the trunk roads of the country should be partly met by increased Exchequer grants, and that there should be proper classification of such roads; and (f) that the question of danger signals, milestones and other road signs should be revised with a view to the adoption of a uniform system throughout the country.

Intensity of Pressure on Road.

Resolution No. 7 was : " That further regulations are desirable in regard to the weights permitted to be carried upon all classes of vehicles, and that such weights should be based upon considerations of width and type of tires, diameter of wheels and speed." In view of the provisions of the Heavy Motor Car Order, we have good cause to ask why the trailers which are hauled by traction engines should be exempt from rules as to diameters, and why narrow-tired horse-drawn carts are not regulated. The commercial motor user has to bear the blame for much which does not rightly attach to him. We repeat our warning to both manufacturers and users--that they should preface, in advance, for a reduction of the unit of axleweight (ride supra). We expect to see this materially reduced within the next 18 months, subject to the due safeguarding of existing interests.

Satisfactory Maintenance.

There was a lengthy discussion of the motion, by Sir H. Fairfax-Lacy, " that, in the opinion of the conference, the maintenance of primary roads should be more largely met by increased grants from the Government, subject to such roads being maintained to their satisfaction." The speeches largely turned on the necessity for the inclusion of the last clause, and a number of those who took part appeared to think that Imperial funds ought to he voted without conditions, inspection, or any form of control and supervision from the State. It was evident, however, that the most progressive surveyors are not averse to Government supervision, and the resolution, although only by a small majority, was carried.

Extraordinary Traffic.

It was agreed, on the motion of Viscount Valentin, to endeavour to forward the simplification of procedure in cases of claim for extraordinary-traffic damages, along the lines indicated by resolution No. 12, which read: " That all claims for damages for extraordinary traffic should come before a special tribunal (whose decision should be final), to be appointed in each case by the Local Government Board, and to consist of two qualified engineers arid a legal representative." It is obvious, none the less, that the right of an appeal on a point of law must be retained.

The Budget.

Strangely enough, the conference of the sections, which had devoted so much time to attacks upon steam-lorry traffic, concluded by passing a resolution (No. 14) to the effect that it " expressed general approval " of the motor taxes. These, by the way, totally exempt the steam lorry. So much for consistency.


comments powered by Disqus