WHEELS of INDUSTRY
Page 40
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•• The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."--John Beattie Crozier.
ANOMALIES IN MERSEY TUNNEL TOLLS.
Liverpool Area Committee of the Commercial Motor Users Association has pointed out to the Mersey Tunnel Joint Committee certain anomalies in the schedule of tolls for the Mersey Tunnel.
Mr. C. Dudley Whitnall states that the C.M.U.A. resents the submission for its consideration, at this late hour, of a schedule of tolls bearing so much evidence of preparation by persons entirely unfamiliar with the types of vehicle on the road to-day. Attention is called to the following anomalies :— The toll for a tank wagon will be is. more than that for an ordinary goods vehicle of the same capacity, although the load is more compact and more safely stowed.
For an articulated vehicle the toll will be more than twice that for a rigid six-wheeler, although the laden weights will he similar and the articulated vehicle is easier to handle within a confined space.
Motor tractors will be charged 2s. 6d., 3s. 6d. and 5s., plus 2s. for a trailer, whereas the maximum for a goods vehicle is 2s. 6d., plus 2s. for a trailer. A motor tractor weighs less than the average laden heavy lorry. Many Liverpool and district steam-vehicle owners are concerned, for recently they have converted these units to tractors.
There is a toll of 2s. 6d. for 8-14seaters, and 5s. for vehicles seating more than 14 persons. The C.M.U.A. considers that there should be an intermediate charge of 3s. 6d. for a hackney carriage carrying 14-28 per
Sons.
Exception is taken to the proposal to increase the tolls between midnight and 5 a.m., as this will penalize milk and other early-market traffic. The C.M.U.A. considers that tolls should be reduced rather than increased. The "CM." Requires a Business Representative.
There is an opening on the staff of The Commercial Motor for an assistant business representative. We invite applications from young men of between 25 and 35 years of age who have had some experience ol soliciting advertise-. meats. Letters should be addressed to the Manager and should contain full particulars of qualifications and past experience.
Road Accident Returns.
The Ministry of Transport returns of persons killed or injured in road accidents during the week ended May 12 show that, in England, 79 persons were killed and 4,056 injured, whilst 33 were reported as having died through previous accidents. In Scotland eight persons were killed and 332 injured, and in Wales six were killed and 177 injured.
367,000 MOTORING OFFENCES LAST YEAR.
The Home Office return of' offences relating to motor vehicles, in England and Wales, during 1933, shows that the total number of offences dealt with was Z66,943, involving 313,085 persons, of whom 81,412 were dealt with by police caution. The number of persons prosecuted was 231,673, and the number of convictions 203,947, 203,582 persons being fined.
Persons whose licences were suspended numbered 5,868, and those whose licences were endorsed, 4,416. The total amount of the fines imposed, excluding costs, was £266,178: The most numerous classes of case dealt with were :—Offences in connection with lighting, 49,164; exceeding speed limits, 48,215; obstruction of highway, 40,829; driving, or employing to drive, without driver's licence, 31,292 ; careless driving, 28,088; equipment and maintenance of brakes, 21,572; failing to stop when required, or neglect of traffic directions, 20,755.
India's Imports Increased.
The recent improvement in the demand for commercial vehicles in India is apparently being well maintained. During January, 357 vans, lorries, buses and chassis were imported, as compared with 246 a year earlier. The aggregate. imports, from April, 1933, to January, 1934, are returned at 3,966 vehicles, valued (reckoning the rupee at 1s. (id.) at £374,293, as, compared with 2,06G and £245,804 respectively in the corresponding 10 months of 1932-19= Of the total, 2,493 are credited to the United States, 937 to Canada, 504 to Ct. Britain and 32 to other countries. The value of the American vehicles is £189,152, giving an_,average of about £76 per unit, whereas the average of the 504 British machines, with an aggregate value of £96,334, works out at just over £171.