Minister Wants Voluntary Tests
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THE Minister of Transport announced at the annual dinner of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, in London, on Tuesday, that he hoped to launch a scheme for voluntary testing of vehicles and to have further discussions on the widths of vehicles. Vehicles must not be too wide for Britain's narrow roads and he was conscious of his responsibilities in this matter.
Positive Government assistance was required, by the motor industry, Mr. W. R. Black, president of the Society, declared.
"We have become mainly an export industry," he said, and we look to the officials who negotiate overseas arrangements on our behalf to make full use of our bargaining power as one of the chief consumer nations of primary products. We think they should get tougher."
He attacked the high level of taxation incurred by vehicle users, and stated that purchase tax on commercial vehicles should be abolished. Mentioning the speed limits applicable to goods vehicles, he said that a horsebox carrying a live animal might proceed at 30 m.p.h., but if the horse died the vehicle became a carrier of horseflesh and was immediately restricted to 20 m.p.h.
OBJECTIONS TO TRAILER WITHDRAWN
Pi, A LIGHT low-loading trailer was
among the vehicles for which a licence was sought by G. M. Pearson and Son, Ltd., works contractors, Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, before the Northern Deputy Licensing
Authority on Monday. Mr. G. N. Pearson, managing director, said that the trailer was used to carry concrete mixers and building plant. Other contractors desired to employ it occasionally,. although it would be used most of the time for moving the applicants' own machinery.
Two other vehicles of 5 tons were concerned in the application. Six private hauliers and British Road Services withdrew their objections when the applicants agreed to limit the use of the two vehicles to towing the trailer and not to carry goods for hire or reward in them.
A B licence was granted restricted to operation within County Durham.