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Road Transport Activities
Page 69
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IN PARLIAMENT
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
Vehicle and Road Signals.
AN interesting discussion has taken place in the House of Lords on the subject of direction indicators and stop lights on vehicles, also automatic traffic signals at road junctions. Lord de Clifford emphasised the importance of uniformity in automatic signals on motorcars, and suggested that automatic traffic signals should be used more generally and should be employed on main roads outside towns, as well as in the suburbs.
The Earl of Plymouth, Parliamentary -Under-secretary for the Colonies, re
plied for the Government. He said that it was decided early this year not to make regulations governing vehicle signals, as the effect might be to stifle invention, The whole matter had been referred to a departmental committee, which had already been set up to consider the question of traffic signs generally.
He said that there was a likelihood of a considerable increase in the number of points and streets where automatic traffic signals would, within a comparatively short time, he used. He also mentioned that traffic-actuated signals were being used in increasing numbers and were proving satisfactory. '
Earl Howe welcomed the statement that the Minister of Transport was opposed to unnecessary regulation, and stated that, in his view, lights should be suspended above cross-roads instead of being mounted on posts at the kerbside.
Lost Property.
-VTR. PYBUS had his attention called _into the case of a NVOTIMI being compelled to pay is. 8d. to the Bristol Tramways to recover a small parcel as a result of the Public Service Vehicles (Lost Property) Regulations dated May 21, 1931. The Minister said that, whilst his attention had not been previously drawn to this particular case, he had already consulted the various interests concerned as to the desirability of amending these regulations and was considering the matter.
Major and Minor Roads.
UPON being asked what steps were being taken to define clearly main roads and by-roads, and to instruct byroad traffic to give way to main-road traffic, Mr. Pybus pointed out that the Highway Code, directed that a driver on a minor road when approaching a major road should go dead slow and give way to traffic on it. The highway authorities were already fully empowered to mark the distinction between major and minor roads at road intersections by means of a sign which had been approved. Major Thomas mentioned that many accidents took place owing to the fact that by-road traffic did not give way, and the Minister said he was aware of that, and he proposed to re
view again the whole question when he saw the report of the Departmental Committee on traffic signs.
Condition of Waterloo Bridge.
-D EFERRING to the condition of _Lb Waterloo Bridge, Mr. Pybus said he was informed that the slow subsidence of parts of the structure still proceeded. -He understood also that, in the view of the advisors of the London County Council, there was no immediate danger of collapse subject to the continued maintenance of the temporary supports, but that a permanent solution of the problem presented by this bridge could not, with safety, be indefinitely postponed.
Salter Committee Report.
SIR BASIL PETO, having pointed out that in the first 41 weeks of this year gross railway revenues in this country had fallen by £11,500,000 as compared with the same period last year, following continuous heavy losses of traffic in the two preceding years, asked whether it was proposed to introduce legislation early in the next Session to carry out the recommenda
tions of the Salter Conference. Mr. Pybus said he was not in a position to add to the answers he had already given on this subject. He had given the House a definite undertaking that the local authorities, as well as other interested parties, would have their evidence and observations on the report fully considered.
Bus Stances.
IT is officially stated that three local authorities in Scotland are exercising their powers under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, to provide bus stances. Mr. Kirkwood was informed by the Minister that reasonable charges might be made for the use of land off the highway for this purpose, but the law did not permit charges to be made for the use of the highway itself.
Illuminated Number Plates.
0 IR COOPER RAWSON called kiattention to an internally illuminated identification number plate -for motorcars invented by a member of the Hove Police Force, which would assist the police in tracing and arresting criminals in motorcars, and he asked whether steps would be taken to make, its fuse compulsory. Mr. Pybus said his attention had been called to this device. Internallyilluminated number plates were allowed under the regulations, but he did not feel justified in making their use compulsory. Repressive Regulations. it TR.
HEP WORTH asked the .133_Minister of Transport whether he was satisfied that the existing regulations on goods vehicles were not unduly repressive, and whether, in view of the large number of convictions in respect of overloading, he would consider the advisability of examining the whole scale with a view to its possible alleviation. Mr. Pybus said he did not consider that the regulations with regard to the construction or use of goods vehicles were unduly repressive.
Lords and Salter Report.
_L N the House of Lords last Tuesday, Lord Buekinaster moved a resolution declaring that the recommendations of the report of the 'Conference on Transport by Rail and Road ought to be carried into effect without delay.
Query as to Railway Methods.
LORD MOUNT TEMPLE moved an amendment to the effect that in any action which may be taken as a result of the recommendations of the Salter Conference Report no extra financial burden should be placed on users of mechanical transport as a whole, and that the best way to diminish the dangers of the road is by a stricter enforcement of the present law. He pointed out that the Salter recommendations were modified by the fact that road-transport interests were not fully represented at the Conference. There had been, he said, many investigations into the condition of road transport, and he asked why there was not an investigation as to the way in which the railways carried on their business. The stupid warfare between road and rail must cease. The difficulties of, the railways were not so much clue to road transport as to trade depression.
Sufficiency of Existing Law.
TrILE Earl of Plymouth, -replying for
the Government, whilst stating that the Government had decided that the problem must be tackled at the earliest possible moment, observed that a large body of opinion believed that the existing law was adequate to deal with the situation if properly enforced. It was for the courts to see that it was enforced and that the drastic penalties provided by the Act were imposed.
He appreciated the desire of the motor industry, including the manufacturers, to know what, if any, change in taxation or in regulation of the industry the Government proposed, hut it was quite impossible for him to make any definite statement on the Salter Report at the present moment.
Lord Mount Temple withdrew his 'amendment, and as the Government intimated that they would not ask the House to divide, Lord Buckmaster's motion was agreed to.