Minister Tackles Many Questions
Page 37
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE Minister of Transport was closely questioned on a variety of matters in the House of Commons last week. An indication of some of the points with which he would deal was given in The Conorercial Motor on February 11.
Mr. Page wished the Road Research Laboratory to draft a code of standards of safety in vehicle design, and the Minister to modify the Construction and Use Regulations in accordance with the Laboratory's recommendations. The Minister replied that the R.R.L. was the responsibility of the Lord President of the Council. Full use was made of the results of the Laboratory's work.
Views of various organizations were being considered on the proposal to allow vehicles to he left unlighted at night if parked within 100 yd. of public lighting.
The Minister did not agree with Mr. Crouch that to make the provision of mudflaps on rear mudguards compulsory would be wholly effective.
The R.R.L., Mr. Crouch was told. were investigating the use of various types of winking-light indicator, and the _question of their discontinuance would be reviewed by the Minister when he received the report.
A report of an international committee on head lamps and dipping was expected by the Minister in the spring.
Asked by Mr. Speir what steps Licensing Authorities took to maintain adequate bus services in rural areas, the Minister referred to constant informal consultations between Authorities and operators. This frequently resulted in non-paying services being preserved.
Mr. Russell cited the improvement at Brent Bridge and Neasden Circus since traffic lights replaced roundabouts on the North Circular Road, and asked whether road-improvement schemes • including roundabouts might be reconsidered, The Minister responded that the roundabouts at the places mentioned were too small and could not be enlarged, but where they were of proper size they were sometimes extremely effective_ "A high vertical kerb does add to danger on the road," the Minister told Mr. Stokes. General advice to county councils about laying deep_kerbstones along the sides of arterial roads was to be amended.
Some discussion followed the Minister's failure to assure Mr. Janner that tolls would be limited to costly bridges and tunnels and not stretches of highway or motorway. Members expressed antipathy towards tolls, but Mr. Renton thought that a toll road was better than none.
Mr. Grimond was informed in a written answer that to rebuild abandoned railway tracks as new roads would be prohibitively expensive, except in a few instances.