ROAD TRANSPORT MATTERS IN PARLIAMENT.
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• Canal Bridges in the Midlands. Buses in Glasgow. Inadequate Traffic Facilities on Tyneside. The Vehicles Lighting Bill Sent to, the House of Lords.
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent.
TRE question of the weakness of many canal bridges in the Midlands and the inconvenience thereby caused to traders was again raised lust Week by Mr. Hannon, who suggested that the Minister of Transport should intervene with the highway authotie ties so that they would take speedy action. Colonel 'Ashley said he was aware of the inconvenience caused to road users by the weakness • of numerous canal bridges in the Midlands and elsewhere. He had received representations from various deputations on the subject and the matter was engaging his close attention. Whilst there would 'obviously be great difficulty on financial and other grounds in dealing immediately and comprehensively with all weak .structures of this kind, he was always ready in appropriate cases to give assistance to the highway authorities from the Road Fund towards the cost of bringing bridges on important roads up to a modern standard. Negotiations were proceeding between the public bodies concerned for the promotion of legislation to facilitate the reconstruction of weak bridges on important roads and a suitable agreed measure would certainly receive Ills support.
Accidents and Congestion in Glasgow.
MR. THOMAS HENDERSON called attention to the increasing number of street accidents in Glasgow "caused by the increase of privately owned omnibuses" and suggested that an inquiry should be held with a view to the better control of street traffic. Colonel Ashley said the control of omnibus services, with due regard to the safety of the public, was primarily a matter for the licensing authority concerned. The provisions of the draft Road Traffic Bill would increase the powers of licensing authorities In this respect.
A little discussion followed the reply. Mr. "MacKinder wanted to know why the Minister was compelled to grant licences where he thought it was against the interests of the public and would create more danger. Colonel Ashley remarked that he did not follow the connection. The question referred to privately owned omnibuses, and they were no more responsible than Publicly owned vehicles. Mr. MacKinder having repeated Ids question, Colonel Ashley replied that it was sometimes in their own interest that authorities did not allow private buses to run.
Mr. J. H. Hudson said that in the case of certain municipal omnibuses the braking system recently introduced was very much above the average adopted by private buses and they were safer to run. Mr. .Macquisten remarked that the streets of Glasgow were very much congested by tramways which, like all tramway systems, were very much out of date and were the real cause of the trouble. Mr. Henderson asked if any official communication had been made by the Glasgow authorities to the Ministry of Transport, but Colonel Ashley asked for notice of the question.
Tyneside Traffic Facilities.
A TTENTION having been called by Mr. Russell to 11. the inadequate facilities for cross-river traffic on the River Tyne below Newcastle, the conflicting local interests and the need for a comprehensive scheme to :ensure that questions of particular communications would be placed in their proper perspective and considered in relation to the larger general problem affecting a wide Industrial area, he urged that a committee
should be appointed to go into the whole matter and ad.vise the authorities concerned. Colonel Ashley stated that this subject had been studied by the North and South Tyneside Joint Town Planning Committees, and a grant was made from tile Road Fund towards the charges of the consulting engineers who were appointed to advise upon the matter. Their report was presented in April, 1925. Having regard to tile activities of these town planning authorities there appeared no reason for theuppointment of a committee.
Glasgow's New Bridge.
INTERROGATED with regard to the delay in opening the new bridge for traffic over the Clyde at Glasgow, Colonel Ashley stated that the bridge structure was only completed last month and work was still proceeding in the formation of the approaches, involving the alteration of numerous underground services. Progress was unavoidably retarded by the need for keeping the streets open for traffic while work proceeded and no date could yet be fixed for completion.
Proceedings Against London Drivers. DURING this year, from January 1st to December 6th, 1,124 London licensed taxicab drivers have bean summoned for offences arising from their employment. During the same period 783 London licensed omnibus drivers have been summoned and convicted for offences arising from their employment.
Drivers with Physical Defects.
A TTENTION was called to an inquest in Northamp
tonshire at which, according to Colonel Day, it was stated that the driver of a lorry concerned in the fatal accident had been suffering from defective eyesight from childhood. The Minister of Transport was asked when legislation would be introduced governing the issue of driving licences to persons suffering from physical defects. Colonel Ashley reminded the hon. member that his proposals with regard to the conditions with which applicants for driving licences should comply were contained in clauses 14 and 15 of the draft Road Traffic Bill. He was unable to say when this Bill weuld be introduced.
Contributions to Hospitals.
rinTE Minister of Transport states that contribu
tions to hoSpital funds from the Road Fund in respect of the extra expenditure due to motoring accidents cannot properly be made In view of the purposes for evhich that fund was instituted.
Roundabout System and Fewer Accidents.
THE Home Secretary has informed Sir Cooper Rawson that this year there was a definite reduction in the number of serious accidents in Parliament Square (where the roundabout system is in operation), as there had been only one as against five in 1925. The number of slight accidents was about the same. It Amid diminish as the pedestrian acquires experience.
Road Fund Grants.
T" grants made from the Road Fund in 1925-20 and 1926-27 were respectively £17,389,301 and £18,050,673. The total for the current year is not complete.