Road Transport Activities
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IN PARLIAMENT
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
London Transport Bill.
wHEN the business for the House of Commons after the Christmas recess was being discussed the Prime Minister intimated that the London Passenger Transport Bill was not to be
dropped. Sir F. Hall, Conservative Member for Dulwich, informed the Prime Minister that practically the whole of the London members were deadly opposed to the Bill. He asked whether, in these circumstances, the Bill would be dropped, as there was a practically unanimous opinion that it was impossible to alter it in such a manner as to make it acceptable to London mem,bers.
The Prime Minister said he would have to take his information on that subject through the usual channels.
Rubber Roads Urged.
MIIE Minister of Transport was asked whether, in view of the cheapness of rubber and the depression in the rubber industry, he would consider taking steps to encourage the use of rubber for road surfacing. He pointed out that the choice of paving materials was primarily for the highways authority concerned, and he did not see his way to urge the use of rubber in preference to other materials, which might be more economical and equally suitable.
667 Appeals to the M. of T.
T TP to December. 5th the number of
effective appeals lodged against decisions of the Traffic Commissioners was 667, of which 154 were withdrawn. The number of appeals already decided is 178. Of these 40 involve Orders on the Traffic Commissioners reversing or modifying their decisions. Costs will be recovered by the Ministry in 118 cases, including six where the appeals were withdrawn during the course of the inquiry. Mr. Pybds states that with reference to appeals of bus owners to the Ministry, there have been no cases in which companies have received permission to run their vehicles on routes which had hitherto been used by buses belonging to individual owners.
A Separate Tribunal Suggested.
IT was suggested by Colonel AclandTroyte that the Minister should consider setting up an independent tribunal to hear appeals. Mr. Pybus stated that the right of appeal to the Minister was recommended by the Royal Commission on Transport. Tinder the Roads Act, 1920, there was a similar right of appeal to the Minister of Transport against the decisions of local licensing authorities.
Bearing in mind the need for an expeditious and economical procedure for hearing the appeals, he was not aware that any satisfactory alternative had been suggested, nor, indeed, could one readily he found. Colonel Troyte reminded the Minister that bus ownerswere highly dissatisfied, because they were appealing from men appointed by the Minister to the Minister himself.
Quarry Employment v. Road Schemes.
l't/IE. PYBTJS had his attention 1Y_Lcalled by Sir Cooper Rawson to the closing down of quarries and to unemployment and short time owing to the abolition of some road schemes.
The Minister said he did not overlook this aspect of retrenchment and, in arranging for the curtailment or postponement of roadworks, it was his practice to consult the local authorities and obtain their co-operation with a view to avoiding unnecessary hardship. To another member he stated that figures were not available to enable him to estimate the number of persons having lost employment through the abandonment or slowing down of schemes.
Removing Tolls.
ONE toll road and one toll bridge have been freed since the passage of the Road Traffic Act, 1930. Negotiations are still proceeding in the case of two other toll bridges in Kent. Isle of Wight County Council was informed last year that a scheme for the freeing and reconstruction of the toll bridge over the River Yar would be considered for a grant, but hi view of the need for economy the Minister states that he must hold himself free to reconsider the case when he is informed of the expenditure involved. Thames Bridge Progress.
UPON being asked what was the position regarding the proposed Charing Cross Bridge and whether the Government intended to retain the present structure of Waterloo Bridge, Mr. Pybus pointed out that with regard to Charing Cross Bridge the late Government decided not to renew its offer of a grant. As to Waterloo Bridge, he could not make any statement.
Mr. P. Harris remarked that the temporary character of the repairs to Waterloo Bridge would make it necessary for some decision to be arrived at fairly soon between the Ministry of Transport and the L.C.C.
Strengthening Weak Bridges.
ASERIES of questions was addressed to the Minister of Transport asking for information regarding the action to be taken upon the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Transport that money should be allocated from the Road Fund for the strengthening of weak bridges. Reference was made to the provision, thereby, of employment for steel workers and to the elimination of level crossings by providing bridges and tunnels. • Mr. Pybus replied : "It has been the practice to make exceptional grants towards the reconstruction of weak railway and canal bridges and to the elimination of level crossings, and substantial progress has been achieved. Schemes of this character submitted by highways authorities will continue to receive my sympathetic consideration so far as funds are available."
Front Tanks and Fire Risks.
SIR CHARLES CAYZER called attention to recent accidents involving serious loss of life which had resulted from motor vehicles equipped with petrol tanks under the dash catching fire after minor collisions or overturning. He suggested that in order to safeguard the public from this danger, the Minister of Transport should issue regulations making it compulsory for new motor vehicles manufactured after a specified date to have rear tanks.
Mr. Pybus said that large numbers of standard motor vehicles were designed with the petrol tank fitted in the front, and he did not think he would be justified in making a regulation on the lines suggested. Sir C. Cayzer observed that the use of safety glass on motor vehicles had already been made compulsory, and that it was far more important from the point of view of averting danger to introduce such a rule.
Mr. Pybus remarked that he was watching all these matters, and he was reluctant to add to the number of regulations at the present time.