Road Transport Activities
Page 43
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IN PARLIAMENT
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
R.A.F. Use of Coal Petrol.
Q IR P. SASSOON, referring to the 10experiments carried out with a Royal Air Force squadron using petrol produced only from British coal, said the experiment was being condueted with petrol produced by the lowtemperature-carbonization process. So far as the experiment had gone, the results had been generally satisfactory.
Trolley Vehicles and Workmen's Fares.
S()ME curiosity having been expressed as to the extension of workmen's fares and early buses where trolley vehicles superseded tramcars, the Minister of Transport stated that under the existing law the substitution of a system of trolley vehicles for a tramway required the sanction of Parliament, and hitherto it had been the practice of Parliament.to include in the special Acts authorizing such substitutions, provisions applying to the trolley-vehicle undertaking the statutory obligation previously imposed on the tramway undertaking to run proper and sufficient services for workpeople at reduced fares.
Financing of Trolleybus Systems.
SIR W. BRASS suggested that the Minister of Transport, with a new to bringing the transport system of the whole country up to date and stimulating employment in the heavy industries, should consider helping local authorities to finance schemes for the early abolition of all tramway systems in their areas with the substitution therefor of trolleybuses or motorbuses as local conditions warranted. Col. Headlam, Parliamentary Secretary, said he was not aware that substitutions of this kind were hampered by financial difficulties where they were Justified on economic grounds, but, in any case, he should feel unable to propose that national funds should be expended on local processes of this kind. Sir W. Brass said it vas necessary to leek ahead to a big scheme for bringing the transport system of the. country up to date. Col. Headlam replied that he did not think this was anything.more than a local matter. If it was considered advisable to substitute this method of transport and if it was likely to be financially sound, the local authorities would be able to do it.
Thames Water Buses.• UPON being asked as to the present position regarding water buses on the Thames, Col. Headlam said he understood that a scheme for the running of motor vessels on the Thames had been prepared by the Thames Water Bus Committee and that the scheme had been submitted to the London and
Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee, by which it would be considered at an early date. He understood it was submitted to the London Transport Board, but the board decided that it had other schemes which were more, pressing.
Small Insurance Claims.
MANDER asked the Minister .1.11..to consider the advisability, with a view to the prevention of accidents, of proposing legislation making it impossible for the driver of a motorcar to insure himself against the consequences of any accident amounting to less than £10. Col. Headlam said the Minister had already given careful consideration to a somewhat similar proposal and had reached the conclusion that an uninsurable risk up to a sum of f10 as suggested would he equivalent in many cases to depriving the injured person of the compensation duo to him. He did not think therefore that amending legislation on these lines was desirable. Mr. 3Iander asked if the Minister did not think that drivers would be much more careful if they knew that they would have to find these sums of. money -out of their own pockets. Col. Headlam said he thought it might be very difficult for drivers to find these sums.
Licence Renewal Notices.
SIR WILLIAM BRASS called the attention of the Ministry of Transport' to the undertaking by the Minister of Home Affairs in Northern Ireland to instruct the county borough councils and county councils in Northern Ireland to issue renewal notices before the expiration of motorvehicle driving licences, and suggested that similar action shotild be taken by the licensing authorities in Great Britain. Mr. Stanley said that, so far as Great Britain was concerned, the question had been carefully reviewed from time to time and he saw no sufficient reason for altering the decisions of his predecessors that registration and licensing authorities should not he required to issue reminders or renewal notices before the expiration of driving licences.
South Circular Road.
THE Minister of Transport states that the further section of the South Circular Road, for which he is prepared to make a grant from the Road Fund, is approximately one mile in length and extends from Burnt Ash Hill near its junction with Baring Road to Eltham Road at its junction with Westhoree Avenue. Inadequate Signalling.
IT was alleged by Ni-. Whiteside. that many road accidents were caused through inadequate signalling on the part of drivers and he suggested that the Minister should consider making it obligatory for all tramcars, buses, delivery vans and lorries to carry an electric signalling device. CoL Headlam said he was aware that inadequate signalling, like other faults on the part of drivers, might cause accidents. Proper signals by hand were, in 'his opinion, adequate for their purpose, and the Minister did not, as at present advised, propose to make compulsory the use of electrical or mechanical signals. 'This was in accordance with the unanimous recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs which considered, this subject. Mr. Whiteside pointed out that it was impossible for a bus driver to signal so that oncoming traffic could see what he was doing because the bus was too large.
Separate Paths for Cyclists.
rilHE Minister of Transport, on being asked whether he had considered the advisability of making better use of the footpaths on each side of the bypass roads by allowing pedal cyclists to use one of the footpaths, said he doubted the advisability, except in very exceptional circumstances, of permitting the use of footways by cyclists, but he was prepared to consider any pro. posal submitted to him by the apprqpriate highway authority for the provision of separate tracks for pedal cyclists. Capt. Cunningham Reid said the system had been adopted with success by many foreign countries.
Petrol Fumes.
AirR. NENTEE. desired to know 1V1whether any steps were being taken by the Ministry of Transport to safeguard the health of the drivers of motor vehicles against the danger arising from petrol fumes, And whether any information was available regarding the effect of petrol fumes on the general health of the public using the streets in the London area. Colonel Headlam made the following statement :—As the honourable member is aware, the possible effect of petrol fumes on the drivers and conductors of motor vehicles was considered incidentally by the departmental committee appointed by the Home Secretary to inquire into industrial diseases. The second report of this committee has recently been issued. I do not think there is sufficient evidence of injury to the health of drivers of motor vehicles or of other users cf the road from exhaust fumes to justify
legislative action. Defects in exhaust pipes are looked for by the examiners in the examination of buses and motor coaches, and similar defects in good;; vehicles will come under the observation of examiners under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933.