Over-hasty Legislation
Page 31
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
WE wonder whether the Minister of Transport and his officials realize the trade disorganization, cancellation and holdingup of orders and the general state of uncertainty which have resulted from the operation of the Road Traffic Act, 1030, and the numerous statutory Rules and Orders which have followed. Many of the difficulties could have been removed, or would never have occurred, if. more thought had been given to the compilation of these regulations and the obtain, ing of .advice from these most qualified to give it.
The trouble in such cases is that, when there are so many Orders and revisions, • it is extremely difficult to keep track of them. It is, in • a measure, satisfactory to receive the assurance of the Minister that he will, in due Course, issue the whole of them together with some sett of index, but even then it will take a combination of engineer and lawyer to elucidate the many problems which constantly arise.
We have already expressed our appreciation of regulations which are likely. to promote the safety of the travelling public, but. even in the latest, issued in connection with the equipment and use of public-service vehicles, there is an unsatisfactory vagnepess about some of the provisions which is already, causing difficulty. An example of this is to be found in the schedule concerning first-Aid dressings and appliances required to be carried on express carriages, contract carriages and on ether public-service vehicles which are, for the time being, used in either of these capacities. It _would have been a simple matter to state exactly what was required, and a consultation with representatives of those concerns specializing in such equipment would have quickly provided the necessary information. Now it may well be that the conscientious supplier, who provides what be considers to be really effective quantities of material, may be drastically undercut by others who include such small amounts as would be quite ineffective if extensive use became necessary in an emergency. It may be said that reasonable amounts should be provided, but who is to adjudicate on the matt& ?
We must again point out the inadvisability of basing the need for a conductor upon seating capacity. There are many 32-seaters operated by one man during the hours when peak loads are mot expected, and we emphasize the need for further elasticity in this connection. ..It uneconomic to enforce the carrying of. a conductor when the average .number of persons conveyed is well below the figure for which the vehicle is licensed.
This is an outstanding example of ministerial nearsightedness.