ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.
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The "Come to England" Call. The Fate of the Ministry of Transport. Speed of Motor Coaches. London Traffic Co-ordination.
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent rpHOSE who cater for tourists will applaud the _L suggestion made by Sir Harry Brittain, that in view of the fact that the broadcasting of this country is heard in many parts of the world the PostmasterGeneral should consider giving fuller publicity to the many attractions which this country affords to overseas and foreign visitors. The Assistant PostmasterGeneral points out that the matter is within the responsibility of the British Broadcasting Corporation, which he has no doubt will consider any representations made to it on the subject.
Visitors who respond to the "Come to England" call are great patrons of the motor coach, a type of vehicle with which they are very familiar.
The Disappearing Departments.
SINCE Mr. Churchill in his Budget speech announced the decision to close down the Ministry of Transport, the Overseas Trade Department and the Mines Department, opinion against the decision has been gradually strengthened, and many members are convinced that it would be a mistake to abolish the two first-named. There is not the same concern over the fate of the Mines Department.
The movement against demobilizing the Overseas Trade Department is the strongest, and the Government will have to consider the question with the fullest sympathy. As to the Ministry of Transport, it will be more difficult to persuade the Government to go back on their proposal. The intention, I hear, is to transfer the department as a whole to the Board of Trade. Originally it was proposed that the administration of the Road Fund should be undertaken by the Ministry of Health, which, of course, is much more closely linked with the local authorities than the Board of Trade.
The new argument is that it would be an administrative disadvantage to separate the roads from railways and electricity. Whilst the railway companies will support this view, the local authorities will be disappointed. In any case, there will be plenty of opportunity for the Government to he informed upon all views for and against their proposals. Legislation is required to bring about the abolition of the departments, and it cannot be introduced this session for lack of time. The threatened departments will, therefore, continue to exist throughout the current financial year, and perhaps for a longer period.
A Year's Increase in Licences, rriHE following table gives the number of' licences _L current on February 28th, 1926, and on February 28th, 1927:— In the year before the war (1913-14) the number of licences issued for private cars was 132,015, and for hackney vehicles 51,167.
Grants to Rural Roads.
rr HE mileage of unclassified roads in rural areas in
England and Wales scheduled during 1926 for grants towards maintenance expenditure was 35,859. There remained 86,327 miles of unclassified public roads, including unclassified roads in urban areas, which are not eligible for maintenance grants. • Grants are made towards maintenance of unclassified roads only when the roads are situated in rural areas and have been specially selected for assistance on account of their importance from the point of view of traffic. The grants are at a uniform rate of 20 per cent.
London Traffic Co-ordination.
REQUESTS have been made, somewhat prematurely, by members for information as to the proposals for the co-ordination of London passenger-carrying transport. The Minister of Transport has not yet received the report of the London Traffic Advisory Committee, to which the subject was referred. The committee is closely engaged in exploring the policy of co-ordination, which presents many difficult problems, and the report may not be expected for some considerable time yet. Even so, recommendations on such an important matter will require careful consideration by the Ministry of Transport and the Government before anything in the nature of definite proposals can he talked about.
Freeing of Tolls.
THERE is a toll-gate on the main road from Cardiff to Barry, Penarth, and other populous and rapidly extending areas, the only alternative route being hilly and narrow, with dangerous sharp curves. Sir Robert Thomas suggested that steps should be taken to free the road, but this is only one instance of many in which the same demand is and can be made. The Minister of Transport can only make a grant from the Road Fund to local authorities, who themselves take the initial steps to free tolls, and he has repeatedly stated his willingness to consider for grant any application formulated by the responsible local authorities in such cases.
One-way and Roundabout Experiments.
1\74-0 experiments of the one-way or roundabout system of traffic working have been authorized in the London area during the months of April and May, but it is hoped to carry out further experiments in the near future.
High Speed on Timed Journeys.
IR ROBERT THOMAS, like other members, has Oreturned to the subject of high speeds due to the alleged inadequacy of the time allotted for the completion of journeys on long-distance motor-coach routes. Colonel Ashley says he is aware that it is alleged that motor-coach owners on occasion allot times for journeys which involve infringement of the legal speed limit by the drivers of the vehicles concerned, but no Specific instance of the kind has been brought to his notice. In any case, action would rest with the police of the distil et concerned.
Crawling Taxicabs in Victoria Street.
AREQUEST has been made that Victoria Street, London, should be included in the list of streets in which loitering taximeter cabs are to be prohibited. The Minister of Transport stated that this matter was carefully considered, but a decision to the contrary was reached partly on the ground that it was desirable to limit the number of streets until practical experience had been gained of the working of the proposed regulations, and partly on account of the difficulty of providing adequate cab-rank facilities in the immediate neighbourhood.