"Big Hammer for Small Nut"
Page 45
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" THE Ministry is to be congrata lated on solving the contractcarriage muddle, although the length of the provisions dealing with this subject seems a big. hammer to crack such a small nut," Mr. F. A. Walker, national secretary of the Passenger Vehicle Operators Association, told The Commercial Motor on TuesdayHa was commenting on the new Road Traffic Bill outlined on pages 644-645.
"Much of the benefit and the expected continuity of protection against abuse have been negatived by the new advertisement clause, which, if passed in its present form, could alter . the whole structure and understanding of private parties,' a term completely forgotten in the new text.
"Certain helpful recommendations contained in the Thesiger Report have not been implemented, and the urgency of introducing and passing the new Bill during the present session of Parliament gives rise to a sense of disappointment that more important questions have not been included.
"After considering the 136 paragraphs of the new Bill, one cannot but agree with the recent statement of Mr. A. B. Waring, president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, that to ride in a motor vehicle is against natural laws, is almost an anti-social act and, as such, must be restrained. "The provisions of the Bill adding still further costs and more penalties, only confirm that the policy seems to be to confine our inadequate road .system to fewer and fewer vehicles."
The new Bill was explained to West Midland operators at a meeting in Birmingham on Monday evening. Mr. S. Moss, secretary of the Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners' Association, of Manchester, and the Birmingham Horse and • Motor Vehicle Owners' Association, said that licences issued by the West Midland Licensing Authority for pre-booked parties would become redundant. The freedom of the operator to carry private parties to Blackpool would, however, depend on the regularity of the runs.
With regard to camp services, a licence would be necessary if the personnel of the camp was permanent, but unnecessary if the troops regularly changed. When the contracting parties were in every case the officer commanding the camp and the coach proprietor, a licence would be required.