Haulier. Gets Costs Against Police A T Taunton, on Monday, Somerset
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Quarter Sessions Appeal Committee allowed an appeal by a haulier, with
costs against the police. Mr. Frank Whittock, Peasedown Street, Peasedown St. John, near Bath, appealed against a fine of 10s. imposed by Weston (Bath) magistrates on a charge of allowing a lorry to be used without efficient brakes. The driver, who did not appeal, had been fined 5s.
Mr. C. M. Lavington, for Mr. Whittock, agreed that the brakes were inefficient, but denied that Mr. Whittock knew this, and submitted that as be had taken reasonable steps to ensure the brakes were properly maintained, he could not be guilty of committing the offence.
Some time before the alleged offence, the appellant had posted ,a notice in his garage forbidding the driving of vehicles with inefficient brakes and stating that any driver using a vehicle in such circumstances would have to pay the fines both of himself and his employer. Mr. Lavington said, however, that it was doubtful whether that rule could be enforced.
SPEND TO SAVE I F the Government spent an addi tional £20m. a year on the roads, sthicle users could reduce their transport costs by 10 per cent., states the Roads Improvement Association, which has asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to allot an extra £15m. to the Road Fund in 1953-54. With the normal contributions provided by the highway authorities, the Association says, this would permit an increased expenditure of nearly £20m. to commence making the roads adequate.
NO REAL ROAD ECONOMY
IT is questionable whether there is any I real economy in the drastic post-war reduction in road expenditure, says the London County Council in its observations to the Select Committee of Estimates, adding that the immediate and apparent saving should be set against •the inefficient employment of vehicles and the cost of traffic delays and accidents.
It is urged that the Ministry of Transport should plan its grant expenditure over a period greater than a year ahead.
SPOILING THE SHIP
A LTHOUGH large sums are being spent on new roads, houses and factories in Kirkby, Liverpool, a short length of carriageway is closed because of road works and vehicles running to and from the trading estate have to make detours. In a year, these detours account for an extra 150,000 vehiclemiles.
Whiston Highways Committee made this observation recently when protesting against the Ministry of Transport's restrictive policy towards expenditure on road repairs.