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Road Transport Topics
Page 101
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in Parliament
RAIL PROPAGANDA AGAINST ROADS: 11.1 the House of Commons, trade'union representatives of the railways are laying themselves open to the suspicion. that they are conducting propaganda against road transport when they raise road-traffic questions. One railway Member (Mr. Dobbie) was told this plainly, the other day, when he asked the Minister of Transport if his attention had been called " to the widespread demand, in the interest of public safety," for the provision of an adult attendant in addition to the driver on all heavy goods vehicles. Mr. Hore-Belisha gave a reminder that an amendment to this effect was rejected by the House of Commons during the passage of the Road Traffic Bill this year. he knew of no new circumstances that would justify him in asking the House to reverse this decision.
When he was asked if there had been any communication between the Ministry and the trade-union representatives of the road-motor drivers, Mr. Hore-Belisha retorted, "Not as far gs I am aware, but I know that all the branches of the N.U.R. have passed resolutions on this matter, and I realize that it was to take traffic off the roads and convert it to the railways." This was supplemented by an observation by Mr. Strickland, Member for Coventry, that "this is part of the railway propaganda to prevent road transport developing."
NO UNFAIR REFUSAL OF LICENCES.
EXPRESSION is being given by several members to the considerable apprehension that exists among operators of goods and passenger vehicles as to their• future in the industry, owing to their licences being withheld. Assurances were sought that no combines of railway companies will be allowed to take over their trade, esriedaily in the case of the small man in a rural area,
The Minister of Transport's view is that the number of cases where a licence is refused is small, and that it is always open to an unsuccessful applicant to exercise his right to appeal against the decision of the authorities responsible for the two systems of licensing. Brigadier-General Brown told Mr. Hore-Belisha that the small men in many cases try for licences and " the big railway companies and the lawyers turn them inside out, and they go in fear of their lives."
Mr. Hore-Belisha was sorry to hear that, and promised to look into the grievances expressed at a mass meeting at Newbury, "for I desire to see all injustice avoided," he added. NO AMENDMENT TO COMPULSORY INSURANCE PROVISIONS.
MO record is kept at the Ministry of NTransport of the running-down case., in which the insurers of motor vehicles against third-party risks repudiate their liability on the grounds of breach of conditions or fraud on the part of the policy-holder. The number of cases reported to the Department by interested parties has decreased. For that and other reasons no amendment or strengthening of the compulsory insurance provi.5ions of the Road Traffic Act is contemplated. The Minister of Transport regards it as premature to ask Parliament to reopen the question until some experience is gained of the operation of Part II of the Road Traffic Act, which • comes into force on January 1 next. GREATER-LONDON HIGHWAY SURVEY.
THE appointment of Mr. C. H. Bressey to undertake a comprehensive and systematic survey of the highway developments required in the area of Greater London to keep pace with the expansion of traffic is regarded as one of the most significant decisions yet taken by the Ministry of Transport. Mr. Bressey will retire from his position as Chief Engineer of the Roads Department of the Ministry.
The idea of the scheme is a kind of wheel of highways with Charing Cross as the centre, from which all the chief roads will radiate to a complete circular route comprising roads, bridges, and tunnels under the Thames.
A CODE OF REGULATIONS.
WHEN it was suggested to the Minister that he should publish a consolidated code of all regulations, etc., issued under the Road Traffic Acts, he pointed out that he had recently consolidated certain of them and hoped to make further progress in this direction early rext year. A single code containing all the regulations
would not be convenient. Some of them have to be amended to meet progress in vehicle design and other changes of circumstance, whilst some affect only limited sections of the community.