WHEELS of INDUSTRY
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The wheels of wealth will be slowed by all difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs."—John Beattie Crozier.
NEW DRIVERS' HOURS ORDER MADE BY THE MINISTER..
In August last the National Joint Conciliation Board applied to the Minister of Transport for an Order varying certain of the periods of time prescribed by Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930., The application was referred to the Industrial Court.
The result is that the Minister has now made the Road Traffic Act, 1930 (Variation of Provisions of Section 19) Order, 1934. The provisions of this Order apply only to the drivers of goods vehicles operated under A or B licences issued in England or Wales. Such drivers may now :—
(a) drive continuously for a period of 8 hours if they are only on duty for one period not exceeding 8 hours in a day and if they have at least an aggregate of 40 minutes rest, of which a period of not teas than 20 minutes must be taken between 2 and 43 hours alter the time at which they begin their 8 bours period of duty;
(b) in the case of drivers engaged by the week, drive for 12 hours in all on two days a week if some part of the 12 hours is spent in waiting or loading or unloading a vehicle, and one complete day's rest is allowed in each week.
The Order comes into force on January 1, 1935, and it should be emphasized that its provisions do not apply to drivers of vehicles for which C licences have been issued, or to those holding A or .B licences issued in Scotland.
It is understood that it is proposed to bring into force at the same time agreements as to wages, hours and conditions of service in the industry, arrived at under the auspices of the National Joint Conciliation Board.
Special Meeting of the R.H.A.
Metropolitan Area.
A special meeting, at which the speakers will be Earl Howe and Mr. Gleeson E. Robinson, M.C., LL.D., is to be held by the Metropolitan Area of the Road Haulage Association at the Portland Rooms, Baker Street, London, on Monday, December 3. Mr. J. F. E. Pye will be in the chair. Admission will be by ticket, obtainable from the secretary, the Metropolitan Committee Offices, 19-20, Water Lane, Great Tower Street, London, E.C.3.
Delay in Area Conciliation Reports.
The time for Area Conciliation Boards to submit to the National Board their observations on the latter's report on wages, hours and conditions of employment, has been further extended to December 12. A previous extension had been granted until November 12, but when the sub-committee of the National Board met in London, last week,, it was found that not all the Area Boards had submitted their reports.
It is reported, in well-informed circles; that on the majority of the B12 Area Boards, the employers' and workers' panels have failed to reach agreement on vital points. An exception is' the South Wales Area Board. . The National Traffic Area Employers Co-ordinating Committee had, as foreshadowed in last week's issue, asked for an extension until December 1. The committee met in London last week, and afterwards members interviewed the members of the employers' panel of_ the National Board. Several representatives of the committee spoke, and one point put forward strongly was the contention that the composition of the employers' panel on the National Board should be amended and enlarged to include two representatives from each Area Board.
The chairman of the national employers' panel replied and dealt with various problems. It is gathered that no indication was given by the national panel as to the policy which it will adopt with respect to the counter-proposals of the co-ordinating committee.
Next Year's Show Dates.
Next year's Commercial Motor Show, organized by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, will be held at Olympia, London, from November 7-16.
L.N.E.R. to Appeal.
It is understood that the London and North Eastern Railway Co. intends to appeal against the decision of the Yorkshire Licensing Authority to grant an A licence to Mr. P. Kelly, of Mahon, in respect of a horsebox.
Beardmore Oil Engine Wins Premier Russian Award.
We have already announced that a Beardmore six-cylindered oil engine performed exceptionally well in the recent oil-engine trials in Russia. The result of these has nOw been declared, and it is satisfactory to learn that this Scottish-built engine has been given the premier award, whiCh is know n as the Order of Udrovnik. ROADS OVER RAILWAYS: PLAN REVIVED IN PARLIAMENT.
An amendment to the Address, handed in by a group of members of the House of Commons, relates to this provision of elevated roads in order to reduce the number of accidents, and to relieve traffic congestion in the streets of large cities.
Mr. Oliver Simmonds, M.P., who is sponsoring the scheme, is putting forward a plan for roads running above the railways. It is suggested that the roads should consist of two 20-ft, carriageways with kerbs in the centre and at the sides, strong balustrades being provided at each side.
The British Steelwork Association has collaborated in suggesting a form of construction and estimating the cost, and a road above the Southern Railway from Raynes Park to Lambeth Bridge has been taken as an example. The construction, it is said, would involve no insuperable engineering difficulties, and the cost would be in the region of £.3,000,000 for the suggested Si-mile stretch. The co-operation of the railways would, of course, be necessary, and it is suggested that they should be paid a capital sum, or a yearly contribution. The suggestion of providing roads above the railways was made in The Commercial Motor so long ago as our issue dated March 5, 1929, in which the advantages and the problems in connection with such a scheme were fully discussed.
Railway Application for Increased Tonnage Granted.
Despite strong opposition from roadhaulage concerns, Colonel A. S. Redman, the Licensing Authority for the West Midland Area, granted an application of the Great Western Railway Co. for 19 additional vehicles and 12 new trailers at Birmingham, recently. In announcing his decision Colonel Redman stated that the public interest must come first, and provided that the estimates of the vehicles required were conservative, the company should not be expected to inquire whether other operators had facilities for collection and delivery.
Appeal Tribunal's London Sitting, An appeal by Mr. J. T. Plenty„ of Gelli, Pcntre, against the' South Wiles
Licensing Authority's refusal *of B licence, .was heard by the Appeal Tribunal, in London, on Tuesday old Wednesday. The Tribunal',s .decision will be announced at a sitting in London, on December 4.
The appeal of Messrs. S. R. and H. Clegg, of Southampton, against conditions attached to a B licence by the South-Eastern :Licensing A ut hc4ty, which was to have been heard on Wednesday, was withdrawn.