Road Transport Topics By Our Spec; ul
Page 45
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In Parliament
GOVERNMENT'S RIBBONDEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS.
THIS Bill, introduced in the House 1 of Lords for •the restriction of ribbon development, confers wide powers of control on highway authorities, with regard to classified roads. These extend to 43,000 miles. Authorities may adopt for any highway, as representing the possible future width of the road between fences, one of a number of scheduled standard widths ranging from 60 ft. to 160 ft.
The maximum standard width of 160 ft, will allow for dual carriageways, footpaths, cycle tracks,, and subsidiary 'service roads. Within the standard width, the highway authority may prohibit building, etc., except improvements to existing buildings.
The Minister of Transport is given powers to act in cases where the highway authority has failed to safeguard the future of the road. The powers already given, by private Acts, to certain local authorities to control building within 200 ft. of the highway and to limit the formation of new means for access to the highway, are the precedent which has been followed in the Bill, but the building line will be 220 ft. from the middle of the road.
There are special provisions safeguarding agriculture and works commenced prior to the restrictions.
WIDTH LINE 220 YDS. FROM HIGHWAY.
THE machinery of private Acts is dispensed with by the proposal to substitute the procedure of a resolution 'by the highWay authority to be approved by the Minister and duly advergeed. There is power to erect and .• maintain fences to emphasize the existence -of •restrietions on access. •
Compensation ii to be deferred until evidence can be produced that the restrictions are, in fact, preventing development, whilst special provision is made for the offset of betterment against claims for compensation.
The Bill enables contributions to he made from the Road Fund for restrictions relating to the standard width line, namely, that of the land which may ultimately be required for the purposes of the highway. As in the existing private Acts, power is to be given to the highway authorities, to acquire land adjacent to the highway, within a maximum distance Of 220 yds., for the purpose of improvement of the road or the preservation of amenities, and the powers of a local authority to provide parking places are to be enlarged. AIRCRAFT-OIL-ENGINE DEVELOPMENT.
REPLYING to Lieut.-Colonel MooreBrabazon, who asked if the Air Ministry was encouraging the development of aeroplane oil engines, Sir E. Sassoon said that a number of types of compression ignition engine had been fully type-tested, and found suitable for aircraft, and that research on other types was proceeding.
INCREASED STEEL IMPORT DUTIES?
I N answer to a question on the expiry of the Additional Import Duty (No. 13), 1935, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said the answer depended upon the result of negotiations now taking place between the British Iron and Steel Federation and the International Steel Cartel. If no recommendations were received from the Import Duties Advisory Committee before August 7 next the higher duties, in force before the Order of May 3 took effect, would again become operative after Aiegust 7.