P.V.O.A. Challenge New Draft Regulations
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L'EAR that the use of many interior
heaters now fitted in coaches would be prohibited, under a new draft regulation in Inc proposed new consolidated Public Service Vehicles (Equipment and Use) Regulations, has led the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association to urge the Ministry of Transport to reconsider it. The regulation (The Commercial Motor, July 8) deals with the carriage of dangerous substances.
The Association have also asked that an amendment that would require the liquid capacity of fire extinguishers to be increased from 11 gal, to 2 gal. should be applied only to new equipment after the ,lapse of a reasonable period.
On the regulation covering first-aid equipment. the P.V.O.A. have reiterated their view that, with present-day medical and hospital services, operators should no longer have to begt-the responsibility of ensuring that first-aid materials are carried at all times and that they comply with the regulations. • clerk said that, apart from a verbal warning given by the Licensing Authority in December last year, no action appeared to have been taken when this year's applications were dealt with. He agreed that the consignment notes which were to be taken into account during the present proceedings had been in the Licensing Authority's office from December 7, 1954, until August 10, 1955.
Mr. 'Wardlaw said that he was not going to argue whether the journeys with fertilizer came within the exception made in Section 1 (5) (c) of the 1933 Act. Mr. Sanderson was under the honest impression that the journeyS had been legally made.
Ninety-six per cent. of the journeys with fertilizer from Liverpool, and 85 per cent, of the runs from Bridlington, were to farmers within a 15-mile radius. "No one has yet given a definition of locality," said Mr. Wardlaw.
Consignment Notes Held He suggested that the Authority could not use evidence of the alleged irregularities in such a way as to put the special A licences in jeopardy. When the B licence was renewed on April 15, the consignment notes had been in Mr. Hanlon's office for five months.
You were in a position to refuse to renew that licence and you could have held an inquiry," he told Mr. Hanlon. "With full knowledge of these matters you granted him the B licence. Having done this, I say you are stopped from making any reference to those notes during these proceedings." The summonses against Sanderson were issued on March 24, 1955. The B licence was issued on April 15, 1955.
After Mr. Sanderson had given evidence, Mr. Hanlon observed that it' he were engaged in agriculture at Stokesley, then haulage done for farmers at Stockton. Sedgefield and other places up to 25 miles wrs not within the locality. "IF everyone who happens to own an acre eland does this sort of thing, what sort of protection would the haulage industry have?" he commented.