Power/weight ratios: Minister Speaks
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AR, MARPLES said in the Commons M on Wednesday that he was quite certain there must be some sort of regulation sooner or later about the powerto-weight ratio of goods vehicles. Mr. Marples, who was answering questions about minimum speed limits, said that at some time the point would have to be considered.
He told Opposition front-bench spokesman Mr. George Strauss that he would like to implement regulations for minimum speeds, but first of all we had to get our roads into a state where it could be done.
Among other matters discussed by Mr. Marples was that of vehicle noise. The Minister said he had warned motor manufacturers that he expects vehicle noise to be very much reduced in future. He recalled that draft regulations giving effect to the Wilson Committee's recommendations for keduction of vehicle noise had been circulated to interested organizations on June VI.
A suggestion that licences should be refused for buses which had inadequate facilities for carrying luggage and prams was turned down by Mr. Marples.
Discusging the new road signs, Mr. Marpjes said he aimed to have regulations dealing with these in about. a year. Detailed timing of the change-over would
objecting for 13 private hauliers, Mr. Derbyshire said the units could not be restricted to carrying bulk liquids as their versatility would be destroyed. The company wanted the vehicles to go into a common pool. A road transport officer of Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., Alkali Division, Mr. F.. H. Walter, said in evidence that during the past year they had used Sutton's Portolite tanks and found them entirely satisfactory for the carriage of silica soda and calcium chloride liquors. have to be discussed with local authorities, who had already been urged to begin planning their new sign-posting schemes, he went on.
The difficulties which arose when a 35ton propeller was taken by road from Birkenhead to Falmouth earlier this month have made Mr. Marples decide that he should review the best means of dealing with future applications for journeys of this nature. ' Stating this on Wednesday, the Minister said that authority for the movement had been given because the propeller was required urgently as a replacement for a ship in service. The• Minister spoke about right-hand driving and disclosed it might cost £200m. to change over. The cost would vary according to the length of the preparatory period, but tentative estimates indicated that it might be of the order of £200m. within a five-year warning period, £100m. with 10 years and £35m. with 15 years. Mr. Michael Noble said that a Highland Transport Board is to be set up to keep under review the transport needs of the area and advise on the most economic ways of meeting them. Mr. Noble said that the Board would deal with land, sea and air transport, and would consult with transport operators.
If more tankers were available I.C.I. would like to offer them new traffic in Scotland and South Wales. He told Mr. A. J. F. --WrOttesley, objecting for British Railways Board, that if the application were granted it would not affect their rail traffic. The two main factors in favour of the Portolite tanks were price and cleanliness.
The case was adjourned, but the deputy. Authority, Mr. Jolliffe, granted a shortterm licence for five vehicles to carry bulk liquids only