Road Transport Topics By Our Special in Parliament Parliamentary Correspondent
Page 49
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DISSATISFACTION WITH APPEAL TRIBUNAL DECISION.
UA.D the Minister's attention, asked 1 IMr. Holdsworth, been drawn to a decision by the Appeal Tribunal whereby traffic, which had been carried on for 10 years, had been withdrawn from two road hauliers without com pensation. Would he consider the introduction of amending legislation to deal with this and similar cases?
Mr. Burgin replied that he had seen a report of the decision and had the matter under consideration. No pro posals for amendment of the law relating to the powers and duties of the Appeal Tribunal had been made to him by any national association as a result of the decision.
Mr. Holdsworth then pointed out that the two concerns had a capital of 410,000 and employed 40 men, whilst as a result of the decision their activities had received a severe setback.
Mr. Magray inquired if the Minister was aware of the great concern with
which operators in the North viewed this decision, and would he give it his personal attention? To this Mr.
Burgin said the difficulty was that when the Road and Rail Traffic Act was passed it was the wish of Parliament that this Tribunal should be completely independent.
NO FREE CHOICE OF TRANSPORT.
HAD not the Minister accepted the report of the Transport Advisory Council that each trader should have a free choice of the transport he desired, continued Mr. Holdsworth, and what became of the suggestion if there was only one form of transport. available? What was the Minister prepared to do in the matter?
Sir Ronald Ross asked whether it was not owing to the dissatisfaction of the road industry with the appeal to the Minister direct, under the 1930 Road Traffic Act, that the independent tribunal was set up.
Mr. Burgin said it was sufficient for the moment to say that the tribunal by the Act was completely independent and its decisions were final. He was aware of the consequences of this decision and, as he had told the House, he was giving the matter personal consideration.
Mr. Holdsworth gave notice that he would raise the matter on thr Adjournment at the first available opportunity.
EXTENSION OF LICENCE .
VALIDITY PERIODS.
I T was his intention, Mr. Burgin informed Mr. T. Henderson, to extend the periods of validity of carriers' licences with as little delay as possible, but under Section 26 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, he would consult organizations as to the form and terms of the Regulations themselves.
• Mr. Holdsworth suggested that the decision of the Appeal Tribunal, which was the subject of his previous questions, showed the need for longer periods, Mr. Burgin, however, thought the matters were entirely separate.
The Regulations, he said, were of
general operation. There were outstanding some questions of fees and forms but he -proposed to put the Regulations in force. They were a necessary reform.
PEDESTRIAN LAMPS UNSAFE AT JUNCTIONS.
ANSWER1NG Captain Bullock, Mr. Burgin stated that additional traffic-control lights indicating when pedestrians should cross, were used only when it was possible to arrange for vehicular traffic on all the roads forming the intersection to be simultaneously held up for a period.
In other cases the pedestrian's path might be traversed by turning traffic and a positive invitation to cross might expose him •to unnecessary risk. At most road junctions the pedestrian had no difficulty in seeing the lights, but he should alwas pay attention to the traffic.
THAMES EMBANKMENT ON THE BLACK LIST.
DURING the year ended February 28, according to a Home Office statement, 300 accidents occurred on the Thames Embankment, including Millbank and Grosvenor Road. As the result eight persons died and 962 received injuries. In the same period 1.000 persons were reported for exceeding the speed limit.
T.A.C. CONSIDERING REGULATION OF CYCLISTS_
ON being asked whether he proposed to take further action to regulate cyclists, Mr. Burgin said he was expecting in about a month a report from the Transport Advisory Council on the possibility of further measures for securing road safety in connection with cyclists.
PRACTICAL SAFETY SUGGESTIONS.
BEFORE the Select Committee of the House of Lords on Road Accidents, on Tuesday, Sir W. Brass, giving evidence, said there should be a simplification of the pedestrian-crossing regulatioias on the Parisian plan, which, for instance, permitted a vehicle to cross when a pedestrian was on the crossing.
Experiments in regard to restarting traffic by the light signals before a pedestrian had reached the other end of the crossing should be made at certain places in London.
For minor offences warning was better than prosecution. •The police should carry copies of the Highway Code and the matter should be explained to the driver in order to impress it on his mind.
Wooden road surfaces were dangerous in wet weather, especially when adjoining concrete, and there might be an improvement in cambering. Herbs on by-pass roads were a danger, especially to smaller vehicles.
REGISTRATION OF CYCLISTS.
QUARTERLY brake tests, made at reputable garages, should be compulsory, continued Sir W. Brass, and closing of rear blinds at night should be forbidden. Asked his views on cycle tracks, he said he favoured as much segregation as possible.
Cycle tracks should be wider than on the Great West Road, and. their use should be made obligatory. He approved of the proposal for the registration of cyclists.
SAFETY BY ADVERTISEMENT.
HE considered the 30 m.p.h. limit a failure. It should be confined solely to places where real danger existed. The present limit promoted excessive speed in unrestricted areas.
The way to reduce accidents was by education. In the Province of Ontario there was recently an advertising campaign which was alleged to have reduced accidents. It cost 1326,000 and was chiefly a poster and newspaper campaign. A suggestion was made that this propaganda might be financed by the insurance companies.
.The Chairman (Lord Alness) asked the witness what he thought of the suggestion about experimenting over a short period with a low speed limit all over the country to see what the effect would be on the accident rate.
Sir W. Brass said, if they could impose a ten m.p.h. limit and could enforce it, it might be done.
In further examination he maintained that cyclists should be fumed to carry rear lights and reflectors.
On the subject of insurance he felt that in some cases damages were very high and were often given because an insurance company and not an individual was involved. He agreed with the Chairman that a small sum might be imposed on the insured person himself in the case of damages.
The police, like the Paris force, should exercise greater control over pedestrians.