CLOSING NEW FOREST ROADS.
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The Bah on the Large-capacity Motor Coach Against the Use of Certain Hampshire Roads.
THERE_ IS a gradual but certain. growth M the number of orders made by the Minister of Transport, under the provisions of the Roads Act of 1920, by which county councils are enabled to apply to the Minister for the issue of-an order, following, upon a public inquiry, which would restrict the driving of
heavy or large motor vehicles on highways, the use of which by such vehicles would endanger the safety of the vehicle, or of the public, or of other traffic. Where the highway is nresuitable for use by such vehicles, the Minister rria.y even go so far as to prohibit the use of specified vehioles upon such highways.
Up to the present the orders issued include that in respect of certain streets in the City of Chester (being the first order made by the Minister under the Act, and dated November 10th, 1921), and also roads in the counties of Argyll, Pembroke, Selkirk, Perth, Fast Riding of Yorkshire, Stafford, Stirling`, Surrey, West Sussex, Worcester, Cumberland, arliWestmorland. .:The latest. order te be issued is dated. April 26th, and refers-to certain roads in the county of Southampton (commonly called Hampshire). The roads in respect of which the order•is issued are' grouped into three sebadules. The first _schedule cove'rs -13 reads in the rural district of Chrigtehurch; nine in the rural district of
Fordingbridge, three in the rural district of the New Forest, and two in" the rural district of Ringwood, thus materially, restricting heavy vehicle traffic in the New Forest area, the order applying for a period of five years from yesterday's date (Whit-Monday; May 2-1st), and excluding any heavy motorcar as defined by Article 2 of the Heavy Motor Car Order of 1904, that is to say, a veld& exceeding two tons in •weight unladen, and any motor vehiele with seats for more than 14 persons exclusive of the driver.
Included in the second schedule are three roads in the •rural district of Christchurch, three in the rural district of Fordingbridge, and one in the rural district of Ringwood, the order in this case running for a. period of five years from the same date, and e&clucliit any heavy vehicle of an. unto-den weight .exceeding three tons, or a passenger vehicle withseats for more than 20 passengers -exclusive of the driver.
The third schedule includes only one road in the rural district of Ringwood, over which, for a Period of one year only from the date of the order no mechanically propelled vehicle with an unladen weight exceeding three tons, or -with a seating capacity of more than 20 persons exclusive of the driver may be driven,.
The order excepts vehicles being used for the purpose of agriculture in connection with land adjoining the scheduled roads. or which are being .used for the conVey.anee of goods or merchandise to or from any house or otherpremises situated upon or adiacent to the same roads, or vehicleS which are used in the maintenance, improvement, or reconstruction of the roads.
Under the order, the authority -responsible for the maintenance of each of the highways scheduled must erect, in suitable places, and maintain during the continuance of the order' warning boards in a form Which 'has 'been approved by
the Minister of Transport. .