Road Transport Activities
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IN PARLIAMENT
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
Road and Rail Traffic Bill Presented.
C‘N Friday, April 7, the Minister of 1 Transport presented the Bill arising out of the recommendations of the Salter Committee. Its title is "To make provision for regulating the carriage of goods on roads by motor vehicles and for controlling the use of vehicles on certain roads ; to amend the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, relating to the wages, hours, and other conditions of employment of person employed in ednnection with certain motor vehicles ; to amend the law relating to railways and to make provision for constituting a council to advise on questions in connection with the means of, and facilities for, transport ; and for.. purposes connected with the matters aforesaid." The Bill is sponsored by Sir John Gilmour, Sir Godfrey Collins, Sir Henry Betterton, the Attorney-General and Lieut.Colonel Headlam.
The first reading was formal and it was understood that the publication of the text would not take place before Thursday, April 13. Obviously the second reading cannot be proceeded with until some time next month at the earliest.
Sir A. Steel-Maitland made a request that in view of the growing feeling that the recommendations of the Salter Conference were open to very serious question, the House should have a day's discussion on the subject before legislation was introduced, but he was met with a negative reply from Colonel Headlam, who said he thought there would be plenty of opportunity of discussion of the matter when legislation was introduced.
GRANTS amounting to f1,842,000 were made, it is officially stated, during the financial year ended March 31 last, for new road and bridge construction, of which '£.44,300 related to schemes in Yorkshire.
Action Under Section 19..
PEE Minister of Transport was asked by Mr. Mahone whether, in view of the large number of fatal and non-fatal accidents attributable to commercial motor vehicles, passenger and goods, he would give an assurance that no action would be taken to vary the provisions of Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act. Mr. Stanley stated that the Order made in March, 1931, varying certain provisions of the section, expired on March 31 last.
An application had been received from representative organizations on the passenger side of the industry for a new Order. This application was heard by the Industrial Court on March 28. Pending its further consideration, he had, on the advice of the Court, made a temporary Order for two months in the same terms as the Order that had just expired, in so far as it related to the operation of public passenger vehicles. So far as goods vehicles were concerned, no application had been made to him under the section for a further Order, and the provisions of the section therefore applied at present to these vehicles without variation.
Dr. Salter asked the Minister of Transport whether he Would publish the findings of the Industrial Court in regard to the application reeentiy made for a variation of the provisions of Section 19 before making any Order upon the application. Mr. Stanley stated that the .Act placed the res'ponsibility for a decision on the Minister, and he did not propose to publish any advice which he might receive from the Industrial Court in advance of announcing his decision. If there was any general desire that the advice of the Industrial Court should be made public, he would consider the desirability of making that report k :available in the preper quarters.
Speed Limits: Heavier Penalties for Infringement.
0 IR CHARLES OMAN asked the
Minister whether, in consideration of the number of recent convictions of drivers of lorries and buses for exceeding legal speed owing to the imposition on them, by the companies or individuals employing them, of practically impossible itineraries, he would make provision in his Bill dealing with road traffic for heavier penalties on such employers or companies. Mr. Stanley said the maximum penalties for aiding and abetting these offences already provided in Sub-sections 5 and 6 of Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act appeared to him to be adequate, but the actual penalty inflicted in a particular case. was a matter wholly within the discretion of the Court.
Durham Motorbus Fares.
fliHE Minister of Transport has re
ceived from the Houghton Miners' Lodge and Chester-le-Street Rural District Council certain representations regarding the recent increase in bus fares in the Durham area, but no appeal is notified against the relevant decisions of the Commissioners on this matter. In the absence of an appeal made in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Minister has no power to intervene.
London Passenger Transport Bill.
Tram last stage of the long progress 1. of the. London Passenger Bill in Parliament was reached On Monday night, when the Lords' amendments to the Bill were agreed to by the Commons. Most of them were drafting amendments and the others carried out alterations that had been promised. The Bill then only awaited the Royal Assent, which was expected to be given before the Easter adjournment. The new Act for most practical purposes will come into operation on July 1. There are several exceptions requiring an Order of the Minister of Transport fixing the time. The first executivo. measure will be the setting. up of the Transport Board by. the appointing trustees, to take over and control the whole of the undertakings included in the pooling scheme. .
Additional undertakings to be transferred to the Board include Green Line Coaches, Ltd., and associated concerns.
Licensing of Taxicabs.
-DEAR-ADMIRAL SUETER re.1turtied to the subject of the fitness of taximeter cabs and suggested that the conditions for renewal of licences should he revised to secure that they should not be below the safety point in steering efficiency, engine power and control. Mr. Hacking (Under-Secretary at the Home Office), stated that taximeter cabs were not licensed if they were below the safety point, and the Home Secretary was assured that no revision of the conditions of fitness of such cabs in that respect was required. It would be unfair to the owners to reject the Older cabs merely because they might not attain the degree of comfort to be found in new models. It should he remembered that a cab was often the sole means for the livelihood of an ownerdriver operator..
Road Works in .Piccadilly.
ATTENTION having been called to the roadway obstructions • at the junction of Berkeley Street and Piccae dilly, which, it was stated, had been a hindrance to traffic for more than a year, Colonel Headlam explained that the obstruction was due in part to the operations of the L'nderground company, for which statutory powers were obtained, and over which he had no control, and in part to the work in connection with the installation of traffic signals at this junction.
The latter operations had been expedited as much as possible and should be completed in a day or two. He understood . that, according to the present programme, the hoarding of the Underground company in the middle of the road would be removed at the end of April.