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New Traffic Act Will Cause Confusion

26th February 1960, Page 172
26th February 1960
Page 172
Page 172, 26th February 1960 — New Traffic Act Will Cause Confusion
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

OPERATORS would be " tremendously " affected by the Road Traffic Bill, 1960, when it was enacted later this year. This was claimed by Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, the well-known authority on licensing, in London last week when presenting a paper, "Transport Law," to the London Division of the Industrial Transport Association.

A serious attempt was being made to bring together several existing Acts under one heading for greater convenience. Confusion, however, could occur initially when the new Act was introduced because it was intended that various sections would come into operation in stages. If this did happen, Mr. Wardlaw added, it would be a good thing for the lawyers.

Having commented on successive legislation relating to road transport which had been enacted between 1930 and 1956, Mr. Wardlaw pointed out that the first major block of applications for renewal of licences, following the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, was due in 1939, but the war intervened.

, Before licensing procedure could revert to normal after the war, nationalization came along in 1947, followed by denationalization in 1953. Strangely enough, therefore, it was only now, over 25 years after the 1933 Act, that major batches of applications for renewals were being received by the Licensing Authorities.

The casual completion of application forms in former years was now having a disastrous effect for some operators. Only now was it being realized that answers given to questions at the time of application could have a fundamental effect upon the continuance of a haulage business.

The general view of the Licensing Authorities was that "General goods— Great Britain" was not acceptable as an indication of normal user. Mr. Wardlaw considered, however, that if a haulier were prepared, to provide precisely that service he was entitled to an appropriate licence.

The personal appearance of traders and industrialists as witnesses at traffic courts was of great importance to a haulier when making application for a licence or a renewal. But Mr. Wardlaw considered that the Licensing Authorities could do a great deal more to encourage the attendance of witnesses by protecting them from unreasonable and unnecessary cross-examination.


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