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Road Transport Topics
Page 113
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In Parliament
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
SILENCE REGULATIONS A GOOD DEFENCE.
SIR W. BRASS asked the Minister of Transport whether he would take steps to amend the law in order to make it clear that if a driver were involved in a road accident at midnight, which be could have averted by sounding his horn, he would have a good defence, in civil or criminal proceedings, on the plea that sounding the horn was prohibited by regulations made by the Minister of Transport.
Captain A. Hudson replied that the Minister was advised that the regulations referred to would be a good defence to any allegation that a defendant had been guilty of negligence solely through not sounding his hOrn. The prohibition of the use of warning instruments during the night hours entailed the exercise of additional caution in driving, consequently, drivers should not place themselves in such a position that they must either sound their horns or be involved in an accident.
Sir W. Brass asked whether the hen. member realized that one of the chief dangers might arise when one car was passing another, and requested him to draw the Minister's attention to this point. No reply was given.
PLANS FOR MOTOR DRIVING TESTS.
THE Minister of Transport was asked by Colonel Goodman whether any progress had been made in defining the tests to which drivers were to /be subjected, and what bodies were to be responsible for carrying out such tests.
Mr. Hore-Belisha replied that he had circulated, to a large number of representative organizations, a draft of regulations proposed to be made under Section 6 (5) of the Road Traffic Act, 1934, and be had received as a result many helpful suggestions which he was now considering. Ire also had under consideration the machinery for carrying out the tests.
ONE-WAY SYSTEM FOR LONDON SQUARES.
IT was stated by Mr. Hore-Belisha that the one-way system for all London squares had often been considered. The view of the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee, with which he concurred, was that the system should only be introduced where it was likely to effect some definite improvement. The committee was at present reviewing the unilateral system for waiting vehicles, which was being tried in Jermyn Street, and so soon as he had received the report he would consider the question of extending the system to other important streets.
NO CHANGE IN APPEAL PROCEDURE.
THE Minister of Transport was asked by Captain P. MacDonald whether, in view of the dissatisfaction of coach owners with existing appeal procedure under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, he would consider introducing amending legislation to set up an independent appeal tribunal.
Mr. Hore-Belisha said this question was discussed by his predecessor with representatives of the industry, and the procedure was modified in various directions. He did not think that at present it would be opportune to propose further legislation.
IMPROVEMENTS EFFECTED BY L.P.T.B.
it 4R. HUTCHISON asked the alMinister of Transport what additional services had been provided since the London Passenger Transport Board took over the responsibility for London transport, and whether any information was available as to how the average speed of buses had increased
since that date. • Mr. Hore-Belisha replied that since the inception of the Board, motorbus services had been introduced on 10 new routes; 13 routes had been 'extended, 10 routes had been altered to improve travelling facilities, and on 11 routes increased services were now provided. The operation of coach services had been co-ordinated. The trolleybus service previously terminating at Tolworth had been extended to the Portsmouth Road. In the central congested areas there had been a slight reduction in the speed of the buses, but the increase in speed elsewhere had brought the average above that of June, 1933.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES IMPORTED FROM U.S.A.
AR. HALES asked how many motor1V1cars were exported from Great Britain to the United States from March 1 to September 30, 1933, and from March 1 to September 30, 1934, and how many motorcars were exported from the United States to Great Britain for the same periods.
Mr. Runciman supplied figures which show that in the stated period in 1933, five commercial vehicles and 122 chassis, with engines, were imported, whilst in 1934 (corresponding period) the figures were 23 and 414 respectively. There were no British commercial vehicles or chassis exported to the U.S.A. during these periods.
AMENDMENT OF DRIVERS' RECORDS REGULATIONS? I MPORTANT representations have been-made to the Minister for the amendment of the Goods Vehicles (Keeping of Records) Regulations. Sir Cooper Rawson drew attention to the fact that a driver in charge of a goods vehicle for only half an hour during a day was required to make a long return, comprising 12 separate entries. Also that the Regulations required more information to be :cconled by tile part-time driver of a small vehiele than was required from a man wholly engaged in driving a heavy vehicle. The Minister explained that these Regulations, which were made after consultation with the Transport Advisory Council, provided for the keeping of records in accordance with the terms of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, but he would consider with the Council whether some simplification was possible.
GRANT FOR THE COMPLETION OF WESTERN AVENUE.
%WITH about six miles of Western W Avenue in the counties of London ar • Middlesex completed, work is now in progress upon a four-and-a-half-mile stretch between Greenford and Hillingdon. The Minister of Transport has offered grants to Middlesex and Bucks County Councils towards the cost, estimated at aboutel£350,000, of completing this arterial road. The work will involve the construction of a viaduct and several bridges.
PROHIBITION OF RIBBON DEVELOPMENT.
ASCHEME to prohibit building development, along arterial roads is. we understand, to be formulated by Mr. I-lore-Belisha in his efforts to reduce road accidents. A Bill will probably be presented to Parliament next session which will include plans for the construction _of subsidiary roads in those areas where building is to be permitted.
COVENTRY-DUNSTABLE ROAD MISHAPS.
TTHAT an abnormal number of accidents involving commercial vehicles occurred on the Coventry-Dunstable mai_ was suggested by Mr. David Adams, who asked how_ many drivers and drivers' mates had been killed and injured on this road in the past three years, and how many cor_:_ions had occurred in which commercial vehicles had been involved and in wihich one of the vehicles had been stationary or about to leave the roadside. This information, we understand, is not available at the Ministry cf Transport, but the question has such significance that it is likely to be pressed for special inqui by the department.
VOLUNTARY SILENCER CO-OPERATION BY S.M.M.T.
IN reply to an inquiry frcm Mr. Touche, the Minister of Transport stated that he had obtained the voluntary co-operation of the S.M.M.T. with a view to preventing the manufacture of motor vehicles with inadequate silencers.