Road Traffic Act Regulations
Page 53
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Observations by the Minister of Transport on the Points Raised by the Deputation from the Standing Joint Committee of Mechanical Road Transport Associations
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, after giving careful consideration to the representations made to him last December by the Standing Joint Committee of Mechanical Road Transport Associations, in connection with the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and the Regulations made thereunder, has transmitted to the Committee certain observations of considerable interest to.the whole of the industry, and particularly to the constituent bodies represented by the Joint Committee. This Committee represents the Commercial Motor Users AssOciation, Electric Vehicle Committee of Great Britain, Furniture Warehousemen and Removers Association, Mansion House Association on Transport, National Road Transport Employers Federation, National Traction Engine Owners and Users Association, Scottish Commercial Motor USers Association, Showmen's Guild of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Steam Cultivation Development Association.
Speed Limits Being Examined.
We cannot give space to the observations in full, but the following are the leading points:—
Speed Limits.—The question of simplifying the First Schedule by reducing the number of different speed limits for vehicles of various classes is under examination, and it is hoped to circulate draft regulations concerning these in the near future, when the Regulations under the Act are generally consolidated.
Attendants on Tractors and Trailers—Whilst in the Minister's view the requirements of Section 17, as a whole, are in the interests of public safety, particularly where large vehicles or trailers are concerned, he is prepared to consider, on its merits, any case which the Committee may put forward for exceptional treatment.
Easter Licensing Date.—This refers to the decision, already published, to provide that licences may be taken out for the following periods: March 23rd to June 30th, inclusive, and March 23rd to December 31st, inclusive. The additional duty will be 10s. where the annual rate is MO or over, and 5s. where it is less than :£30, except for motorcycles; for which it is 2s. 6d. Ordinary licences from March 25th will be available.
New Date for Fitting Speedometers.
Speedometers on Express Carriages.—The Minister has decided to proceed. with the Regulation that speedometers must be carried by public-service vehicles used as express carriages, but the date on which it is to become operative will be extended from April 1st next to January 1st, 1933.
Intermediate Backings of Road Service Licences.— The requirement that a road service licence should be backed in any area through which the service passes is a statutory one, and an application for a backing may often raise. issues as important as those for the primary licence. Therefore the Minister is unable to accept any general suggestion that backings should be dealt with as a mere formality, but the Commissioners generally propose to adopt a procedure under which unopposed applications (whether for licences or -backings) on which no points of importance are likely to arise will be dealt with at special sittings and attendance of applicants or representatives will not be required. He also understands that the Commissioners do not pro
pose to hold any public sitting during August, except for dealing with emergency applications.
Period Excursions.—The conditions to be attached to the use of express carriages on excursions and tours have been the subject of discussion at the recent meeting of Chairmen of Traffic Commissioners, but they present considerable difficulties. Generally speaking, period returns would not seem to be compatible with the running of excursions and tours; as the essence of each is that it forms an isolated journey on which the passengers start and 'return in the same vehicle. If the service be so regular that periodreturn tickets are required it should normally form the subject of a separate application for a road service licence as an ordinary express carriage service. This, however, need not imply that it is to be run with complete regularity or to a fixed time-table. The Commissioners have decided that it will not be possible to allow period-return tickets for excursions and tours save in exceptional circumstances.
Defining Contract Carriage Work.
Contract Carriage Work.—Sub-section 61 (2) of the Act was drafted with great care and; so far as the wording goes, it is difficult to see how it could be improved or what advantage would be gained by elaboratidn. The interpretation of the words' special occasion" or "private party" can, as a final resort, be settled only by the Courts in individual cases, but the natural meaning seems to the Minister to be clear.
It will be agreed that the definition should be retained in a form which will exclude everything except genuine contract work, but if the Committee be able to draw attention to specific services which it views as bona fide " contract " work, which should not be required to operate under a road service licence, the Minister will give such services his consideration, The Commissioners have, when requested in individual cases, advised operators whether, in their view, a road service licence was required to cover some particular operation, or whether a vehicle, when so used, could be regarded as a contract carriage. The Minister would be glad to have, for examination, particulars of eases in which, it is alleged, conflicting opinions have been given on identical facts.
Division of Traffic Areas into Groups.—The Commissioners have informed the Minister that they intend to abandon the practice which had. been adopted in certain Traffic Areas and to which the Standing Joint Committee objects, of dividing the Areas into zones.
Conferences Between Traffic Commissioners.—These have been held in the past and will be continued. Consolidation of Regulations.—The I inister'has the whole body of Regulations made under the Act under review, and he intends, in the immediate future, to examine them in the light of the experience gained during the past year, with a view to making any necessary amendments and to effecting a degree of consolidation. In this connection he proposes to consult the various organizations interested.