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Road Transport Activities
Page 96
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IN PARLIAMENT
By OUT Special Parliamentary Correspondent
Rail and Road Report.
VrEMBERS of Parliament have been .I.Y_Lplying the Minister of Transport with questions as to the .intentions of the Government regarding the report of the Salter Conference and the prospects of early action. Mr. Pybus has been unable to do more than repeat his assurances that proposals would be made as early as possible. It appears that any question of additional taxation upon road vehicles will have to wait until the Chancellor presents his Budget proposals in April.
Motor Taxation a Drag on Industry.
Tum Chancellor ot the Exchequer made the other day a statement to this effect. Captain Erskine-B-olst had asked him whether his attention had been called to the fact that the aggregate taxation on motor vehicles in this country as the result of the present taxation on petrol and licences was three times as much as the taxation upon motor vehicles in the United States of America, and whether, in view of the fact that any tax on fuel or transport must lower, the capacity of British industry to compete in world markets, he would consider the advisability of reducing the petrol and registration tax at the earliest possible op
portunity. Mr. Chamberlain replied that he was prepared to accept his hon. friend's statement as to the facts in the first part of his question, but be obviously could not deal with the observations in the second part of the question within the limits of a Parliamentary answer, nor could he anticipate the Bridget decisions.
Uncertainty in the Industry.
ri APT. 'MACDONALD pressed for C as to the date when Government proposals would be available, in view of the harm done to the motor-vehicle-manufacturing industry by the present uncertainty. Mr. Pybus said that -on many occasions he bad referred to the fact that the absence of any indication of what was to happen with regard to taxation might be detrimental to manufacturers of heavy motor vehicles, but he had also said that it was impossible at this stage, at any rate, to make any statement concerning future taxation. Col. Goodman pointed out that the report was issued as long ago as last July and that the delay in announcing the Government's policy was having a serious effect on employment in the motor-vehicle industry.
Time Dockets.
ASUGGESTION was made by Mr. Banfield that the Minister of Transport should take authority to require the compilation or carrying of a time docket by drivers of road vehicles under section 19 of the Road
Traffic Act. Otherwise he wished to know what action was proposed to put a stop to the hours worked in contravention of section 19 of the Road Traffic Act. Mr. Pybus said he had no powers under section 19 of that Act to require the compilation or carrying of a time docket by drivers of motor vehicles to which the section referred. A proposal on these lines was included among the recommendations of the Rail and Road Conference and was now under consideration in common with other proposals contained in the
recent report. He added that proceedings had been taken under this section.
Thames Tunnel Schemes.
-DEAR-ADMIRAL SUETER asked 11ethe Minister whether, in addition to the Dartford Road Tunnel, the Government would explore the question of a rail tunnel in the lower Thames to give employment not only to men locally but also in the steel and electric industries. Col. Headlam, Parliamentary Secretary, said that the Minister regretted that he would not feel justified in expending public time or money in such an exploration. RearAdmiral, Sueter asked whether the Government would reconsider restarting the work of the Dartford and Pnrfiect Tunnel Scheme which was approved by Parliament and authorized in the Dartford Tunnel Act, 1930. Col. Ileadlimi said that in present circumstances it was unlikely that the local authorities concerned would desire to proceed with this scheme or that the Road Fund would be able to provide financial
assistance. Measures were, however. being taken to safeguard the line of the tunnel and its approaches.
Roads, in Blackfen Area
1/1",R. SIMMERS made a request -1-V-Lthat there should be a grant from the Road Fund to enable "the local council to improve the roads in the Blackfen area near Sidcup, Kent, in order that it might be possible to run bus services over those roads adequate for the needs of the inhabitants. Col. Headlam said he was unable to trace any application for a grant to road-improvement schemes in the area. If one were submitted, it would be considered in the light of the limited funds available and the claims of schemes elsewhere. Mr. Smithers said the bus could not be provided because the roads were so bad and he asked that the urgent demand,for a service in this district should be given sympathetic consideration. Col. Headlam promised to give the matter consideration.
Revenue From Oil Duty.
nrtHE Financial Secretary to the _L Treasury furnished a table of the amounts received from the duty on imported hydro-carbon oils since the re-imposition in 1928 :—
The 1928-29 figures are from April 25, 1928. The amount shown for this year includes £3,618,000 in respect of Excise Duty on stock on that date. The estimate for the current financial year is £34,200,000.
Road Grants.
IT is officially stated that the grants made for the construction of new roads and bridges of all classes during the six months to September 30, 1932, amounted to £1,160,000 and during the three previous financial years to :— 1929-30 ... ... 2,569,912
1930-31 ... ... 6,114,614 1931-32 ... ... 4,281,937 The ordinary rates of grant were 60 per cent. for Class 1 roads and 50 per cent. for Class 2 roads.
Payment of Hospital Costs.
r'IN being asked when he would inkltroduce legislation to enable voluntary hospitals to obtain payment from the insured persons -of the cost hospitals now incurred in attending to the injured in motor-accident cases, Mr. Pybus pointed out that sub-section 2 of section 36 of the Road Traffic Act enabled hospitals in certain circumstances to recover from insurance companies expenses incurred in treating motor
accident cases. He regretted that he could not introduce further legislation.
Accidents on GlasgowEdinburgh Road.
MBE number of traffic accidents _L which have occurred on the new Glasgow-Edinburgh road during the 12 months ended November 30,1932, is 129. With regard to the inquiry concerning the causes of fatal road accidents, Mr. Pybus states that he has made arrangements in conjunction with the Home Secretary for a special investigation during next year of the causes of fatal road accidents.
Retention of Amber Light. THE experiment -of omitting the amber light from the traffic-signal lights in Oxford Street was, Mr. Pybus states, made on the suggestion of the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs and the results will be dealt with in the general report of the committee. The chairman has, however, informed him that the committee thinks the amber light should be retained.