Ministry Anger N.R.T.F. Over Black Smoke
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By NORMAN H. THSLEY
T"Ministry of Transport's statement about diesel smoke spot checks carried out recently as part of a drive against vehicles with smoking exhausts, which was given wide publicity last Friday in the national Press, has evoked a strong protest from the National Road Transport Federation.
Describing the Press notice as "most unfair," Mr. George Mitchell, the Federation's acting secretary said that the Ministry's headline in their statement —" One in Eight Vehicles Offends "—did not agree with the text.
Though the statement said that one in every eight of the vehicles observed was making "too much smoke," -it went on to say that the smoke emitted was not so much that any action was called for.
Mr. Mitchell pointed out that the statement said that 30,000 diesel-engined vehicles were observed on hills, and 50 of them were put off the road. "This," points out Mr. Mitchell, "works out at one in 600."
Twelve per cent. of the vehicles checked were emitting "visible smoke." Mr. Mitchell rightly points out that emitting "visible smoke "does not offend against the new regulations.
Mr. Mitchell continued: "I feel that the Press notice is most unfair and I ,tm somewhat disheartened to think that the Ministry should adopt this line after the very close co-operation there has been between the Federation and Ministry officials particularly concerned with this matter."
He concluded by expressing the hope that the Ministry, would, in future, report the results in a more factual and less misleading way.
In an exclusive interview with Mr. Mitchell and Mr. J. T. Turner, the chairman of the Federation's vehicles committee, it was pointed out to methat, apart from the misleading headline, the statement could lead the public to believe that hauliers are solely to blame. Smoke haze; rather than heavy smoke is the culprit here.
"The operator has to accept a vehicle as it is manufactured. He has not much option. Because of the varying types of loads and varying circumstances in which vehicles have to operate, vehicles, under certain circumstances. are bound to give off a haze of smoke."
Speaking personally, Mr. Turner said that he could do no more than stress the points mentioned in his recent article in The Commercial Motor (April 13) entitled "Standards Needed for Engines and Fuel," in which he said that he felt there wasa great gulf between what was known and what was assumed in regard to. the use and performance of diesel engines. He suggested that a study of diesel fuel, the Use of additives, etc., was necessary. He said that he asked the British Standards Institution to go further into the whole position.
I understand that the formation of he B.S I. committee to draw up standards B22 of performance is going ahead as planned.
Mr. Mitchell said that one of the ways of stopping smoke haze was to overengine vehicles. It was the only answer a manufacturer had when the operating conditions of a vehicle were not known to them.
"The Federation, the Road Haulage Association, the Traders Road Transport Association and the Passenger Vehicle Operators Association are continually telling their members to improve their maintenance. In the past 15 months, the Federation has done everything it can to get the position properly investigated.
"Up to now the Ministry has been helpful towards operators." He concluded: '! They have not told us anything officially about the results of their checks." AGE LIMIT FOR COMPULSORY TESTS TO BE SIX YEARS 'THE Minister of Transport last week I gave nearly four months' notice of the extension of the compulsory vehicle testing scheme to include vehicles six years old. Vehicles affected include goods vehicles up to 30 cwt. unladen weight, and dual purpose vehicles up to 2 tons unladen weight.
The extension comes into force on November 1 when it will become illegal to use on the road without a valid test certificate any vehicle first registered on or before November 1, 1956.