Minister's Suggestion to M.L.R.A.
Page 19
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THE Government spent £200m. per year on research, whilst the motor industry provided only £150,000, said Mr. Aubrey Jones, Minister of Supply, at the annual luncheon of the Motor Industry Research Association last week. He added that the total research effort of British industry was about half that of America's in proportion to the respective outputs..
Much of the research for his Ministry was, however, for the Armed Forces, but this and research for civil requirements had much in common, and it was not right that the Ministry's facilities should be denied for civil use He suggested that certain of these services could•be made available to civil industry.
MORE LIGHTS ON BIG VEHICLES?
THE Government are considering the introduction of regulation; to require additional lights to be carried on the sides of vehicles and combinations of vehicles which are of exceptional length. This was stated last week by Mr. G. R. H. Nugent in a Parliamentary reply. He said that the present obligatory front and rear lamps and reflectors were considered adequate for slow-moving vehicles of normal length.
Mr. Nugent also indicated that the Highway Code was beiag. revised, and that it was proposed to advise drivers that in daytime fog they should switch on their headlamps to enable others to see them more easily.
NO TESTING BY FLEET OWNERS I T wilt not be possible for fleet owners • with maintenance facilities to become appointed as vehicle testing stations for their own vehicles. This would be open to challenge as outside the provisions of the Road Traffic Act. 1956. However, where an operator provides a testing service for the public, he will not be required to submit his vehicles to someone else's station for testing.
This was stated last week by Mr. G. R. H. Nugent, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, in a written reply.
NO COMPLAINT ALLOWED
IN the House of Commons last week.
• Mr. W. R. Williams (Soc., Openshaw)
asked whether the Minister of Transport would arrange for Mr. S. Lilley. whose case had been the subject of correspondence with Mr. Williams, to present his complaint. against the Traffic Commissioner concerned orally to an independent inspector.
Mr. G. R. H. Nugent, for the Minister, refused, saying that Mr. Lillcy's complaint was without foundation.
BIRMINGHAM BUS PROFIT
rAA PROFIT of £135,000 was recorded by Birmingham Transport Department in the six months ending last September, but the transport committee have been told that this will not be maintained,. due to the wage award. Extra pay will cost £120,000 a year.