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Progress versus Ignorance

22nd June 1956, Page 31
22nd June 1956
Page 31
Page 31, 22nd June 1956 — Progress versus Ignorance
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FEW important developments in road transport engineering have been so bedevilled by ignorance, prejudice and discrimination as the oil engine. Despite these handicaps it has on its own merits captured the field of public road passenger transport and its use even in small goods vehicles is increasing.

In the early days its progress was discouraged by a heavy increase in tax on oil fuel to bring it into line with the duty on petrol, but, even so, the remarkable economy of the oil engine outweighed fiscal penalties. Latterly a much more insidious and dangerous force has-been at work—the scare • of lung cancer.

It cannot be denied that black smoke emitted from badly maintained oil engines is acrid and unpleasant, but so far no convincing evidence has been produced to prove that it is injurious to health. The existing law is adequate to deal with the nuisance of smoke and if it were enforced more rigorously .there might be a rapid improvement in the standard of maintenance of some dilatory operators. Ill-informed comment on the cancer-producing tendencies of oil engines might then evaporate.

Hope of Enlightenment A more enlightened attitude on the part of the public may develop from the final report (when it is published) of the Medical Research Council's group on air pollution. Their interim report is certainly encouraging.

They are testing air pollution in London streets and, in particular, are looking for the presence of 3 : 4 benzpyrene, which is known to cause cancer. Even with the engines of 200 buses running in a garage, the benzpyrene content of the air was not shown to have increased or to be higher than in the street, although other 'pollutants were present in great ,volume.

Similarly, when the investigators leaned out of the windows of a London bus•on -the test track at Chiswick to breathe the exhaust gases, it was impossible to measure any benzpyrene content. They say that they would, however; expect to find it in the fumes from badly maintained vehicles, If they do so, the police have power to deal with offenders without causing public alarm and a for the abolition of all oil-engined clamour vehicles. The group's interim report also states that the incidence of lung cancer among London policemen, who spend much of their time in the street's, is lower than average. This observation supports the results of seven years' research into causes of Jung cancer by Dr. Richard Doll and Prof. Bradford Hill, whose findings were reported in The Commercial Motor on December 30 last year.

Capabilities Misunderstood Ignorance by operators of the capabilities of oil engines is also retarding the natural. expansion of their use. The Public Cleansing Conference at Eastbourne, last week, showed that some authorities still believed that a large annual mileage had to be covered before an oiler became economic. They are at least 10 years behind the times, because the difference between the price of a petrol and an oil engine has now dropped to an extent that enables an average municipal vehicle, covering a low annual mileage, to show a " profit " on fuel costs alone.

Fuel economy is not, however, the only benefit of the oil engine. Its reliability and lower maintenance costs are other advantages that make it preferable to the petrol engine for commercial service. For a local authority to discard such an opportunity of reducing administrative expenditure to satisfy the whims of the crews of refuse collectors suggests a curious attitude tciWards its responsibilities.

It is important that well-balanced publicity should be given in the proper quarters—such as The Commercial Motor—to criticism of the oil engine. It is highly dangerous for manufacturers and operators to ignore it, for public opinion is quickly reflected in Parliament. Criticism, no matter how irresponsible, calls for a reasoned reply if prejudice is not to be allowed to spread and to harm the legitimate interests of the industry

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Organisations: Medical Research Council
Locations: London

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