Road Transport Topics in Parliament
Page 45
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By Oar Special Parliamentary Correspondent
RAILWAY RECEIPTS DROP £4,479,000.
C0141PARING the net railway receipts of the four main-line companies for 1937 with those for 1931, Mr. Burgin stated that the aggregate figures for 1937 were £34,370,000 and for 1931 229,894,000. The comparable figures for 1923 were not available from published returns, but were estimated at £38,700,000.
Mr. Benjamin Smith asked' whether the railways had submitted any proposals for the regulation of transport charges generally, in the event of a repeal of the existing statutory regulation of the railway rates. -Mr. Burgin replied in the negative. Figures showing how far the decline was due to the competition of road transport and how far to trade depression were sought by Mr. Benjamin Smith. Mr. Burgin stated that no returns of traffic were made by operators of goods vehicles on roads, and he had therefore no figures indicative of the extent to which traffic might have been diverted from the railways.
PROGRESS OF RATES STRUCTURE.
WHAT steps, asked Mr. Adamson, were being taken to implement the proposals of the Transport Advisory Council with respect to the establishment of a rates system for road transport. He received the 'reply that the Transport Advisory Council recommended that road hauliers should build up a rates structure for their own industry, and should be given time in which to do it. A liaison committee bad been set up within the industry and real progress was being made with what was admittedly a difficult problem.
PLANSPREPARED FOR EMERGENCY' TRANSPORT.
,THE Minister assured Mr. Kelly that `1 his Department had prepared plans for a itational emergency involving the co-Operation of railways and road operators, and; indeed, all branches of transpOrt. He acknowledged the help he was receiving from representatiVes of railways, road transport, docks and canals.
• FURTHER ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SOLID FUEL?
WAS the Minister prepared, asked Mr. D. Adams, to encourage the use of solid fuel for motor vehicles with a view to reducing our dependence upon imported liquid fuel, bearing in mind that heavy vehicles could be run more economically on solid fuel? Germany had greatly reduced its dependence upon foreign supplies by this development, which would also considerably increase the demands for coal and coal products in this country.
Mr. Burgin replied that there was no duty payable on Solid fuel; and for the heavier types the rate of vehicle duty was lower. The question of further action to enable wider use to be made of such vehicles during an emergency was under examination, but he could not at present make any announcement in the matter.
REGULATIONS GOVERNING TRANSPORT OF EXPLOSIVES.
WITH regard to the carriage of V!" explosives by road, Sir F. Sanderson asked whether such traffic was subject to the same regulations and instructions as was similar rail traffic. Mr. Lloyd, Under-Secretary to the Home Depa,rtment, said the conveyance of explosives by road was subject to by-laws made by the Secretary of State under Sections 37 and 39 of the Explo
sives Act, 1875. While they necessarily differed, to some extent, from those applicable to conveyance by rail, in view of the different nature of the means for transport, they followed the same lines.
WHITE LINES OF VALUE.
r-IN the question of the value of V./coloured concrete traffic lines, Mr. Burgin stated that lines dividing a carriageway into traffic lanes were • of value. in guiding traffic and reducing accidents. So far as he was aware, no special merit was attached to coloured concrete.
Viscountess Astor asked if there was any chance of getting rid of the Belisha beacons which were so offensive to the sight.
NO LONDON DOCK SCHEME.
REPLYING to Mr. Sorensen, Mr. Burgin said no proposals were made in the Highway Development Survey hitGreater London for a tunnel under
• the London docks, or for traversing the docks other than by opening bridges. He Was not aware of having had representations from various. bodies in London.
A high-level bridge would have to he very high, a tunnel would have to he very deep, and both would be very expensive.
SIDE OVERHANG ENDANGERS PEDESTRIANS ATTENTION was called by Captain Plugge to a recent prosecution of a lorry driver at Ipswich, when it was stated that if the vehicle followed the kerb closely it overhung the pathway by five inches. WhatIction, he asked, was taken to prevent lorries thus endangering pedestrians?
Mr. Burgin answered that, except in the case of, public-service vehicles, which drew up frequently alongside kerbs, there were no requirements as to lateral overhang, and he did not think they were necessary. Anyone driving so close to the kerb as to endanger pedestrians would, he thought, be liable to proceedings for careless or dangerous driving.
HEAVY LOAD CAUSES SUBSIDENCE.
REFERENCE was made by Sir F. Sanderson to the subsidence last month of a vehicle carrying a 20-ton tank locomotive, travelling from London to North Ormesby. Neat,Sadberge the wheels sank into the road to a depth of about two feet. What was the maximum limit, be asked, to the weight that might be conveyed byroad, and what steps were being taken to prevent similar accidents in the future?
Mr. Burgin said there was no limit to the weight of an abnormal indivisible load that might be taken by road, but, above a certain weight, it could he carried only on a vehicle of special type and subject to conditions laid down by the Motor Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) Order (NO. 1) 1937.
So far as he was aware, the provisions of this Order worked satisfactorily and he did not think this isolated occurrence 'provided ground for aniendment of the law.
NO-WAITING REGULATIONS.
THE Minister was requested by Mr. Marcus Samuel to extend the time within which representations might be made to him concerning the proposed
no-waiting" regulations. The 40-days' notice of his intention to make the regulations, said Mr. Burgin, expired on November 2, but he recognized that matters of national importance had prevented certain local authorities and others from giving due consideration to the proposed regulations. Therefore he had decided to extend the period during which representations might he submitted to January 31, 1939.
PROGRESS IN STREET LIGHTING.
EXPLAEXPLAINING what developments in INING
lighting had taken place on the recommendations of the Departmental Committee, Mr. Burgin stated that agreements under the Trunk Roads Act had been made, or were in process of sealing, in respect of lighting on trunk roads in• Earley (Berks), • Prestwick (Ayr), and Macduff (Banff).