Road Transport Topics
Page 49
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In Parliament
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
REVISED REGULATIONS FOR ROAD TRANSPORT OF ACIDS.
I N urging the Home Secretary to expe
dite the issue of the revised regulations for the carriage of dangerous acids by road, Major Hills reminded him that large quantities of such acids were now being thus transported, and recalled the disaster which occurred in 1933, at Boroughbridge, owing to a collision • with a lorry containing such acids.
Sir John Gilmour said he was not in a position at the moment to specify a date for the issue of the draft regulations, but he could assure the Member that he fully appreciated the considerations to which he called attention, and that all possible steps were being taken to expedite the matter.
EXPERIMENTAL SILENCE-ZONE EXTENSION.
THE declaration of the Minister with regard to 24-hour silence zones, which has aroused considerable discussion, was as follows., Sir John Pybus, the former Minister of Transport, had asked whether he would be prepared to consider applications from local authorities for the experimental extension of the silence zones in their own areas to the whole of the 24 hours. Mr. Hore-Belisha replied that he was prepared to give favourable consideration to any such application.
lirigadier-General Nation asked whether the Minister would consider experimenting on the same lines in London. Mr. Hore-Belisha acquiesced.
SAFETY GLASS UNDESIRABLE FOR SIDE WINDOWS?
PTJRSUING his interrogations regarding the fitting of safety glass in public-service vehicles, Sir William Davison asked the Minister whether he would take powers to require public vehicles registered before January, 1932, to have safety glass fitted to their windscreens or windows facing to the front ; what was the present practice with regard to securing that safety glass would be fitted tb the other windows, and whether, in view of the' desirability that all windows should be fitted with safety glass, he would take powers to sec that this was done at an early date.
Mr. Hare-Belisha replied in these terms :—" Regulations made in 1931 provide that all motor vehicles registered on or before January 1, 1932, shall be fitted by January 1, 1937, with safety glass on all windows and windscreens facing to the front, and, as the industry has been informed that it will have until this date to mare these expensive alterations, 1 should not feel justified, on the evidence before me, in altering the arrangement now.
"'Side windows are less liable, to fracture in an aecident than front windows, and the Regulations do not require safety glass to be fitted to these, ordinary glass being more easily breakable to release passengers if the doors become jammed in an accident."
Sir W. Davison declared that this was no doubt reasonable for private cars, but surely public vehicles, which had great privileges in using the public thoroughfares and making profits out of the passengers, aught to be made as safe as possible for their occupants. He called attention to the recent accident at Lel,visharn in which many of the passengers were serionsly cut by broken glass.
• Mr. Hore-13clisha said he had every sympathy with what was said, but his predecessor arranged to give the trade a certain notice. The fitting of this safety glass was expensive, and it affected the weight of the vehicle, sometimes bringing it over the permissible amount, whilst it would be a burden upon the industry were be suddenly to change the arrangement made by his predecessor.
DANGEROUS PARKING AN OFFENCE.
IT is o proposed by the Minister, with the ncurrence of Parliament, to strengthen the provisions of the Highway Code which at present advises drivers not to leave their vehicles at night facing the wrong way, unless the road be sufficiently lighted to prevent other users from being misled. In making the announcement, Mr. HoreBelisha took the opportunity of calling attention to the fact that it was already an offence to leave a vehicle in .a position likely to cause danger to other persons.
OCCUPATION CROSSINGS AND LIABILITY OF RAILWAYS.
AN interesting point was raised by Rear-Admiral Sueter with regard to accidents at railway crossings. He asked the Minister of Transpoit the following questions:— Whether he would look into the whole question of the uncontrolled level-crossings between Cambridge and London to see that they were guarded in an efficient manner; whether, in connection with the recent accident at the level; crossing at Wormley. Hertfordshire, he was aware that where a level-crossing existed on an occupational road that. had net been dedicated to the public and which was used for public vehicular traffic to the knowledge of the railway company, the last-named was under duty to take proper precautions for the safety of persons using the crossing ; and what he proposed to do to make the North Eastern Railway Company discharge its duty in the interests of the safety of the public.
The Minister replied that he was advised that the legal position was that persons entitled to use occupation crossings were, in the absence of negligence on the part of the railway company, responsible for their own safety. He would see that the Member was informed Of the recommendations made by the inspecting officer with regard to the Wormley crossing, and other crossings.
At a later stage, Mr. Hore-Belisha informed Lieut.-Commander Tufnell, who had suggested that the railway companies should be asked to collect data as to the occupation crossings in the country in order that measures for securing additional safety might be considered, that he was already in communication with the railway companies on these points among others..
A LICENCE TRANSFERENCE SUGGESTION.
'THE Minister of Transport has proI rinsed that, in connection with any opportunity for amending legislation, he will give weight to a suggestion that an A licence, issued just prior to the death of the licensee, should be transferred to the widow without full payment being made in respect of the transfer. He pointed out at the same time that the fee was only 15s. a vehicle a year.,
EASTWARD EXTENSION OF WESTERN AVENUE.
WilITH regard to the proposed erection VV of a bridge across the West London Extension Railway to remove the existing dead-end of Western Avenue at Wood Lane, the present position is that the Minister hopes that, so soon as the negotiations now proceeding between the railway companies and the London County Council axe concluded, it will be possible to commence construction.
Sir W. Davison impressed upon the Minister the urgency of the scheme, as he attributed to they, dead-end in Wood Lane the great congestion at Notting Hill Gate. Mr. Hore-Belisha said he appreciated the point.