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What the Associations are Doing

14th July 1939, Page 45
14th July 1939
Page 45
Page 45, 14th July 1939 — What the Associations are Doing
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

DEFENCE PLANS AND SHORTAGE OF H.G.V. MEN.

Fears of a shortage of holders of heavy goods-vehicle licences, as the result of the number of men undergoing training in the territorial army and anti-aircraft brigades, are expressed at Liverpool. It is felt that while these men are away from home there will lse a shortage of other men to take their places.

Inquiries have been made by Mr. Allen Walter, secretary of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners Association, as to the possibility of present regulations being relaxed, so as to permit an unqualified driver to take over a heavy-goods vehicle while the regular driver is absent. There is, however, little likelihood of that concession being made.

As a result, Mr. Walter has sent out an advice to his members suggesting that drivers who do not hold such licences should be required to submit themselves to the necessary test so that they may be able to take over a heavygoods vehicle temporarily.

When Drivers Ignore Licence Suspension.

When a driver's licence is suspended and he continues at work, the employer is liable to penalties for employing an unlicensed driver and for causing a person to drive an uninsured vehicle. This situation has been engaging the attention of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association.

As it is a condition of all insurance policies that the vehicles they cover must be driven by licensed drivers, insurers are in a position to repudiate liability in the case of non-observance.

Mr. Allen Walter, secretary of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners' Association, in an advice to his members, states that one commercialvehicle owner put the situation before his insurance company and received

satisfactory information. It is therefore suggested that other members should consider the advisability of approaching their own insurers.

What Plans are in the Minister's Mind?

In the House of Commons, on July 5, Captain Hudson, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, said that when the war preparations were out of the way the Ministry would have road-building plans ready, so that the unemployed could be re-absorbed. The B.R.F. says that it would be interested to know whether the plans to which Captain Hudson referred were the 13ressey Report plans and the County Surveyor's Society's scheme of motorways. The Bressey Report provides for the needs of London, including the vital necessity of roads for evacuation. The County Surveyors' plan provides for the building of 1,000 miles of new roads to be reserved for the exclusive

use of motor traffic and serving the whole of the country.

The Federation asks, on the other hand: " Or is it possible that the plans to which the Minister is referring are, to use his own words, ' 885 miles of new road construction, comprising diversions varying from a quarter of a mile to 15 miles in length ' ? 885 miles of short lengths of new by-pass are no doubt excellent, but how do they compare with the, advantages to be obtained from the building of 1,000 miles of complete new roads on the motorway principle?"

A Yorks A.R.O. Appointment.

Following his recovery from illness, Mr. J. J. Granter, of Upton, has been co-opted on to the finance committee of the Yorkshire Area of A.R.O. Mr. Granter is chairman of the Area's passenger sectional board, and exchairman of the Area. BIG SUCCESS OF B.R.F. AND LEICESTER EXHIBITION.

The road safety exhibition organized by Leicester and County Chamber A Commerce, in collaboration with the B.R.F., was opened by Lord Howe, chairman of the Federation, on Monday. The opening ceremony was followed by a luncheon given by Mr. J. C. Vaughan-Harbourne, chairman of the Chamber's traffic section, wita Lord Howe as the guest of honour. In his speech at the luncheon, and at the opening of the exhibition, Lord Howe paid tribute to the initiative of the Leicester and County Chamber of Cornmerce, and stressed the urgency of the road safety problem and the need for the education of road users and for greater co-operation among them. There must also be drastic improvement of our road system, which the House of Lords Select Committee on • the Prevention of Road Accidents had condemned as inadequate for modern requirements. He criticised the Ministry of Transport for its failure to construct new roads, and said that the Ministry's policy impeded traffic rather than freed it.

He added that on the following week, in the House of Lords, he was asking a question in an effort to obtain a clear definition of the Government's attitude towards road safety and the implementing of the recommendations set forth in the Alness Report.

A large number Of prominent people attended the opening of the exhibition. Although it was not thrown open to the public until 3 p.m. nearly 2,200 people visited it in the course of the first afternoon, and during the second day 4,037 people attended the exhibition I

. At the close of this exhibition 'the road model will go to Neshant's Garages. Middlesbrough, where it will be exhibited from Monday. July 17, to Saturday, July 22.


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