THE POSITION OF IDENTITY CERTIFICATES.
Page 30
Page 31
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
As a result of a representation made by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the Minister of Transport intends to issue, on April 6, the Goods Vehicles (Licences and Prohilaitions) (Amendment) Regulations, 1937. These will permit an identity certificate for a vehicle used under an A, B or C licence to be fixed in a waterproof container on the windscreen, adjacent to the revenue licence. Where general trade plates are used, the certificate may be secured to the plate at the front of the vehicle or at the rear, provided that no material part of the plate be obscured.
The new provisions are not in substitution for existing Regulations, but provide an alternative method of International Meeting of the Industry. Amongst the problems discussed at
the recent meeting in Berlin of the•Bureau Permanent Internationale des
Constructeurs d'Automobiles (the countries represented being Germany, Austria, France, Great Britain, Italy, Holland and Czechoslovakia) was that of the dimensions, weights and carrying capacities of motor vehicles.. It was decided VA dravlr np, with the help of extensive data already collected by the Bureau, a schedule of the minimum limits to be allowed, with a view to facilitating international traffic, and to serve as the basis for an elaboration of new international conventions on road traffic.
Selling is Driving, Says Sheriff.
The time spent by salesmen-drivers in sales activities must be regarded its time spent in driving. This is the effect of a judgment by Sheriff Robertson, at Edinburgh, in a case in which an,Edinburgh aerated-water firm were charged with 15 " hours" offences, ..
The firm held that, as, under Section e28 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, "work in connection with the vehicle or the load carried thereby" was to be reckoned as time spent in driving, it was to be inferred that the legislature intended other work to be excluded from the calculation of that time. The driver spent a considerable period while out with the vehicle in sales activities, and the time thus occupied should be excluded from the calculation of his driving time.
The Sheriff overruled this contention and fined the firm £3.
'Steamer Weight Limits to he Raised. In reply to a question asked by Mr. George Hall, a Durham Member of Parliament, the Minister of Transport Stated, on Wednesday afternoon, that he intended to raise the gross-weight limits for steam vehicles to 14 tons and 20 tons in the case of fourand sixwheelers respectively. We exclusively foreshadowed the advent of this important concession in our issue dated February 26. ABANDONMENT.
An appeal by road operators, which their representative said had been abandoned owing to the loss of a considerable volume of traffic as a result of price-cutting, was mentioned before the Appeal Tribunal, at York. when, on the abandonment, the L.N.E. Railway, Co. applied for £5 14s. tld, costs against Messrs. T. Cook and Sons, of Kirbymoorside, the appellants.
Mr. B. de H. Pereira said that the railway company had been put to coltsiderable expense in the preparation of documents. The Tribunal awarded the full amount claimed, G.M.C. Adopts Forward Control.
A range of new G.M.C. goods vehicles will shortly be available in this country. Replacing the existing models, the latest machines will be of almost identical pay-load ratings, but in each of the medium-capacity groups there will be a forward-control chassis. Hitherto only normal-control vehicles have been available.
As in the past, they will he marketed by General Motors, Ltd., 21, Cavendish Square, London, W.1, and the range is as follows :—T 14, 15-20 cwt. ; T 16 and F 16, 2-i-3 tons: T 16 H, 3 tons ; T 18 and F 18, tons ; F 18 H and T 18 H, 4 tons. " F " signifies forward control and " H" heavy duty.
We hope to publish full particulars in the near future.
U.S. Exports Increase.
There was a distinct improvement in the overseas demand for American commercial vehicles during 1936. Altogether 105,799 vans, lorries, buses and chassis, valued at R10,952,873, were shipped from the United States, contrasted with 99,080 units (£10,164,487) in 1935.
The 20-30-cwt. vehicle is the most popular, 71,305 machines having been of this type. The remainder consisted of 15,710 vehicles carrying-up to 1 ton, 13,849 for I1-2/-ton loads, 2,807 over 241 tons, and 2,128 buses and coachet.
17 DRIVERS FOR FOUR LORRIES.
Mr. Robert Moffat, of Ardwick, Manchester, in evidence at a licensing inquiry, on Monday, said that he required 17 drivers for four Vehicles engaged on his goods services from London to Manchester, in order to keep within the statutory hours limits.
Two Welsh Haulage Deals.
Mr. A. J. Brooks, of Serpentine Road, Tenby, has acquired the oldestablished haulage business of John Ford (Pembroke), Ltd., Pembroke, and has opened an office at Church Street, Tenby. He has, in addition, taken over the coal-haulage business of Mr. A. D. Ridley, Tenby.
Waited Three Months for Transport A cargo of bricks that had been lying at Invergordon harbour for three months, owing to the lack of transport facilities, was referred to when Mr. R. D. Mackenzie, of Saltburu, Invergordon, applied to the North Scotland Licensing Authority for an additional vehicle. Despite this inconvenience, . the L.M.S. Railway Co. objected to the application.
The additional vehicle was, however, authorized under certain conditions.
When Farmers Need C Licences.
The liability of farmers, who retail their own milk produce, to hold C licences has been the subject of discussion at several South Wales centres, this month.
At Caerphilly, on March 4, a farmerretailer of milk was ordered to pay 8s. costs for not having a C licence. He was under the impression that, as the producer of the milk which he retailed, he was not bound to haven C licence.
Liability to hold a C licence was discussed by the Caerphilly branch of the National Farmers' Union, last Friday, and it was stated that a test case was to be fought on the issue.
The Glamorgan N.F.U. also discussed the matter, on Saturday. Members thought the matter needed clarification and it was referred to a legal committee.
Take Care to Secure Witnesses.
Personal experiences in motor insurance claims were given by Mr. F. E. Brown, F.C.I.I. (secretary of the Insurance Institute of Hull), when he addressed members of Hull Traffic Association.
A common error committed by transport drivers involved in accidents, said Mr. Brown, was neglect to take the names and addresses of all witnesses. In most cases, where the accident involved a pedestrian, witnesses were hostile towards the motorist, but even from a hostile eye-witness valuable statements could often be obtained.
When statements were not taken, insurance companies were often unable to prepare a case for the protection of the driver involved, and were without any indication as to the lines upon• which action against him might be devised.