ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.
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Viscount Cecil's Motor Vehicles Bill. Compulsory Governing of Engines. Petrol Tax and Increased Fares. Street Accidents to Children. Omnibus Drivers' Working Hours,
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent.
THE Road Vehicles Regulation Bill was given a second reading in the House of Lorde last Wednesday„
The Bill proposes that all drivers should take out a licence after examination into their skill and physical fitness; that all motor vehicles should be provided with a mechanical check on their speed ; that regulations should be made requiring ears to be constructed with such appliances as would conduce to safety ;. that all motor users should insure against third-party risks; that the Ministry of Transport should make regulations for avoiding accidents on the precedent of the regulations for avoiding collisions at sea ; that highway authorities should be empowered to make such alteration in road levels as to prevent excessive speed at dangerous points; and that all persons convicted of dangerous or incompetent driving should have their licence suspended automatically unless the curt before whom they were tried had definite reasons for ordering otherwise.
Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, who moved the second reading of the Bill, maintained that the evil with which the Bill dealt was of almost incredible seriousness. More than 5,000 people were killed every year by accidents on the road, and 150,000 were injured. It was almost pathetic to see children cowering into ditches when a motorist passed. It was astonishing that so little had been done to remedy such a state of things.
The Example of Taxicabs.
He drew attention to the comparatively few accidents caused by taxicabs, and contended that that was largely due to the fact that taxicabs could not be driven at an excessive speed, and that drivers had to pass an examination before they were licensed. He pointed out that in one year fewer people were killed by taxicabs than by bicycles. A number of people drove who did not seem to have any sense of responsibility. The law with regard to the speed limit was a serious scandal. Drivers as a rule absolutely disregarded the 20 miles limit. He called attention to a car which was advertised to travel at 120 miles per hour and said that it was an outrage that such a state of things should be allowed to continue. '
The Bill would empower highway authorities to alter road levels at dangerous points so as to make excessive speeds either Impossible or seriously to inconvenience the motorists. The growing evils of road dangers were, without any exaggeration, an outrage on humanity and a disgrace to our civilization.
Opposition to the Bill.
Lord Denman, who moved the rejection of the Bill, said that he was authorized by the Automobile Association and the Society of Motor Manufaeturers and other bodies interested in motoring to say that they were opposed to the provisions of the Bill. Re agreed that there should be a drastic stiffening of the law with regard to dangerous driving, and some cheek should be put on the issue of licences to people having certain physical defects. He was not in favour of a medical examination, but thought that the best way to deal with the problem was for
c20 applicants for licences to make a written declaration that they were not suffering from certain disabilities.
He said that the London bus drivers were quite the best on the road to-day. They were skilful, courteous and considerate io other users of the road.. He agreed that taxi-drivers were skilful, but they were not a good example of courteous driving. The mechanical check suggested was impracticable. He read a letter from Mr. Morris, who • said, "I can imagine no better method of stifling our export trade in motor vehicles than the imposition of such restrictions as suggested; nor a better means of further aggravating the national problem of unemployment in one of the itssential industries of the country."
The main -objections to the Bill were that it would increase rather than decrease the number of accidents on the road ; that it would do nothing to remedy traffic congestion; that it would set up a new army of officials; and that it would cripple manufacturers in their endeavour to develop their export trade.
Abolition of Speed Limits.
Lord Buckmaster said that speed limits should be abolished altogether, end in their place should he strict provisions against driving to the public danger.
Lord Banbury asked if they were going to sacrifice human life in order to give money to other people who wanted to export cars capable of high speeds.
Earl Russell said that some of the provisions in the Bill had gone too far. The trouble was not so much that the law required stiffening but that it wanted adMinistering.
Government Attitude: The Marquis of Londonderry, replying for the Government, said the matter was one to which the Government was fully alive, and they were directing their attention to it at the present moment.. They all agreed that a motor Bill was necessary, but the view of the Government was that the Bill now put forward was not likely to Conduce to the object which they had in view. He said that a Royal Commission was now sitting to consider all the points raised in the debate, and the Government felt that it was -undesirable to prennote a Bill pending at least an interim report. Ender the Bill enormous powers would be given to the Minister of Transport. Regulations of motor driving must be sympathetic rather than oppressive, and they could not do anything to hinder the development of a comparatively young and flourishing industry.
The Marquis of Salisbury said that the Bill was evidently very contentious in detail, and no Bill of that kind should be allowed to go through without inquiry. He suggested that the Bill should be given a second reading upon the condition that it was sent to the Royal Commission for them to investigate.
Viscount Cecil suggested that the offer should be amended in one respect, that the chairman of the Royal Commission should present an interim report in a brief period dealing with the question of the dangers of the road.
The Marquis of Salisbury said he would do his best to carry out the suggestion, but in the event of there being difficulties in the way the Bill would have to be referred to a Select Committee,.
The amendment was withdrawn and the Bill was read a second time on the understanding that it would be referred to the Royal Commission for an early report, and if that failed to a Select Committee.
Special Traffic Police Corps.
THE Home Secretary informed Mr. R. Morrison that he had had under consideration for some time the question of holding a representative conference for the exploration of the question of forming a special corps of traffic police. The County Councils Association and the Association of Municipal Corporations had, at his invitation, nominated representatives to take part in the conference which wOuld be held, he hoped, in the New Year as soon as ciorcumstanceS permitted.
The Lack of Mortuaries.
Fr HE numerous fatal accidents on the roads, according to Mr. _klbery, are causing concern among local authorities and parish councils which are without the use of any mortuary. The Minister of Health pointed out that local authorities under .the Public Health Act, 1875, had full powers to supply mortuaries, and where there was need for further accommodation representations should be made to the appropriate local authority. He was not aware that any instructions or regulations had been issued dealing with this matter.
Tyre Duty and Prices.
ASKED to state what reductions had taken place .in connection with the prices of tyres since the duty was imposed in April,1927, the President of the Board of Trade said it would appear from antiouncements which had been made in the Press from time to time that the prices had on the average been reduced by some 15 per cent. since April, 1927.
Street Accidents to Children.
THE Duchess of Atholl, Parliamentary ,Secretary to the Board of Education, believes that 'local education authorities are fully alive to the importance of warning children against traffic dangers, a memorandum having been circulated last December calling their attention to the Matter. She is glad to be able to add that in the Metropolitan area the number of street accidents to children, expressed as a percentage of the total number of such.
accidents, shows a steady decline. .
Disinfection of Taxicabs.
THE Home Secretary having been asked by Mr. Day whether his attention had been called to the evidence given in a recent case, in Which it was stated that taximeter cabs were used for sleeping in at night by homeless persons and whether there were any regulations requiring the proprietors of all taximeter cabs to have them regularly disinfected, made the following statement :—" Inquiry has been made at the garages of motorcab proprietors, and it has been ascertained that the use of taxicabs for sleeping in at night or for any um authorized purpose is not countenanced by the proprietors of these vehicles. If it be done, it is done *without their knowledge or consent. The disinfection of taxicabs is not a requirement in the Commissioner's Conditions of Fitness, but it is required by law when the vehicle is known to have conveyed a person suffering with an infectious disease. It is the general practice fcr proprietors to brush and dust the interiors of the cabs before they are taken
from the garages to ply for hire, and in many cases it is known that the linings and cushions are sprayed with some form of disinfectant and the floors scrubbed with soft soap and hot water. Motorca.bs are continually under the surveillance of public
carriage officers and numerous cases are reported by them annually where it is considered that the interiors of cabs are unsuitable in the public interest fret/1 the point of view of cleanliness."
Working Hours of Drivers. • MR. WELLOCK raised the question of the working hours of omnibus drivers and was informed by the Minister of Labour that the normal hours of labour of the great majority of omnibus drivers were 48 per week. In Some cases longer hours were worked. Mr. Wellock contended that in some parts of the country outrageous hours were being worked, to the great danger of the general public. Several other members supported Mr. Wellock's view, without further response from the Government. As Colonel. Ashley has frequently stated, the Government has no power tofu the hours for drivers.
Automatic Speed Limit Restriction.
T4 OED APSLEY addressed the following quest' tion to the Minister of Transport : "Whether he is aware of the fact that motor lorries, omnibuses and chars-h-bancs continually . exceed the statutory speed limit, and that many of them have scheduled runs Which do not permit them running at sustained speeds under an average of 20 to 25 miles an hour ; and whether, in view of the,damage to the roaga, danger to the public, and strain. on the drivers riMessarily imposed by their long and regular runs at high speed, he will consider making some such regulation as the fitting of governors to the engines of all heavy motor vehicles, preventing them from exceeding a speed of 30 miles per hour."
• Colonel Ashley's. reply was as follows: The question . of the automatic limitation of speed by mechanical Means so as to prevent vehicles from exceeding the appropriate speed limit was fully considered by the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation of Read. Vehicles.. Apart from the question of the desirability of such a course on the ground of public safety the committee was of opinion that it was impracticable, both on account of th,1 engineering difficulties and the expense involved and of the facility with which such a mechanical arrangement could be tampered with and altered.
Lincoln Level Crossings.
COLONEL ASHLEY says he is not aware that 'the arrangements at the level crossings in the city of Lincoln involve any avoidable congestion or danger. The L.N.E.11 Company are not in a position to indicate when the avoiding line to the east and west sides of the city, for which Parliamentary sanction was obtained in 1924, is likely to be constructed.
Petrol Tax and Fares.
AREQUEST has been made for information as to the number of public conveyance companies in different parts of the country which have raised their mileage fares by 50 per cent, or more, on the ground of the imposition of the petrol tax and the increased cost per mile per person on vehicles plying for hire, but the Minister of Transport is, as one would suppose, unable to give the figures, as they would vary according to the nature of the vehicle concerned and the average 'timber of nerSons whom it carried.