P.T.A. Seek "C. and U." Changes
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THE concern of public service vehicle operators about the Minister of Transport's proposal in the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations with regard to exhaust smoke, has led the Public Transport Association to suggest a proviso to the proposed regulation in order to safeguard the position where a vehicle may develop a mechanical defect while in service.
The proviso is considered necessary because " while the public service vehicle in this respect has an outstanding performance and record, one would have to accept the Minister's view that in the present stage of development the emission of a modicum of visible smoke' at certain times from Diesel exhausts cannot be avoided."
This is one of three points on which observations have been made on the proposed regulations at the invitation of the Ministry.
With regard to regulation 17, the Association stated that there would be strong objection to the fitting of safety glass being made obligatory. If a regulation were made along the lines of the Minister's proposal, it would involve either a vehicle being out of service in the event of any breakage, or that the operator would be put to the heavy expenditure and inconvenience of stocking quantities of various sizes and shapes of safety glass.
The Association added that in the event of safety glass being made obligatory, there should at least be some provision for the fitting of ordinary glass in an emergency.
With regard to the proposed regulation 16, the Association pointed out that whilst near-side mirrors were frequently fitted to public-service vehicles, there were objections, from an operational point of view, to the obligatory fitting of two mirrors. The Association described as an " impossibility " the requirements in the proposed regulation for mirrors to assist the driver to become aware of traffic to the rear, as well as to the sides.