Express-carriage Charge Dismissed
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T"question of whether a public service vehicle had been used illegally was at issue before magistrates at Kingsbridge, South Devon, last week. James Henry Wellington, Belle View, Kingsbridge, the owner, appeared before them on three summonses of causing it to be used as an express carriage without a road service licence. Norman Down ton, Market Arcade. Kingsbridge, was also before the magistrates on three similar charges.
The summonses were brought by a traffic examiner as a result of complaints from other operators. Mr. C. Howett, prosecuting, said that a poster and an advertisement had appeared concerning pleasure trips in connection with the Travellers' Club. The use of the public service vehicle for these trips contravened the regulations as no application had been • made to the Western Traffic Commissioners, it was claimed.
The offer of transport with the Travellers' Club was conditional upon membership, he said, and the case had been brought purely upon a point of law.
Replying to a traffic examiner, Mr. Downton said he did not know that any law had been broken, and that in addition to local trips there had been excursions to France. On behalf of the defendants, Mr. 0. Rossetti submitted that there had been no illegal action.
The magistrates dismissed the summonses and ruled that the Press advertisement and shop poster had not contravened the Road Traffic Act.
IMMEDIATE START TO STAINES BY-PASS
VVORK on the new Staines by-pass is to start immediately. It will be about two miles in length and will have twin 24-ft. carriageways. The road will run to the north of the town and will involve the building of a new bridge over the River Thames at Bell Weir, adjoining historic Runnymeade.
The bridge, which will be situated about one mile to the west of Staines, will be 414 ft. long with a span of 174 ft. over the river. Initially it will have two 24-ft. carriageways, but it has been designed to take two 36-ft. carriageways when it later becomes part of the new North Orbital road. A contract for £458,856, for the bridge works, has been let and it is expected to be completed in 21 months.
The by-pass will start at Billet Bridge on the A30 and will run north of the town to the B376 Wraysbury Road before turning southwards over the Thames to rejoin the A30 at the Egham roundabout. The roadways will be constructed on an embankment to prevent flooding.
In addition the Middlesex County Council will be carrying out an extension to the by-pass from Billet Bridge to Ford Bridge on the A308 Staines-Kingston road, The Ministry of Transport have made a grant of £564,000 towards the total cost of the Qm. scheme. Work is expected to start early in 1960.