Lords Want Action on Safety
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nUICk action to improve the safety
of lorries was hoped for by Lord Lindgren, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, when the Upper House discussed road accidents last week.
Recalling that there were to be more examiners to cheek on the roadworthiness of lorries, Lord Lindgren said that what was more important was that the Government had under active consideration the compulsory examination of lorries on an annual basis. That had to be worked out in conjunction with the various road haulage and other associations concerned.
These associations were co-operating with the Ministry in working out schemes which would improve the maintenance of lorries on the road, went on Lord Lindgren, and equally there had to be consultation with the manufacturers in regard to the construction and the ability of vehicles to carry loads.
He mentioned, too, better enforcement of drivers' hours—for which an additional 100 examiners were being recruited —and better control of overloading. "All this is being attended to, and I hope will become effective in the comparatively near future."
Lord Lindgren spoke of the " blitz " on lorries during the summer, and he pointed out that the vehicles of the best road hauliers were safe.
Experimental Bus Service Withdrawn ONE of the experimental bus services proposed by a team investigating rural transport problems is to be withdrawn after three months' trial. Announcing this in the Commons this week, the Transport Minister said that the service—one of those with a guarantee to make good any deficits on the operators' costs—was being stopped because of poor support from the public.
In a report on the inquiry into rural buses, Mr. Fraser said that the use of school contract buses to carry ordinary passengers had been considered and one or two experiments were in hand. He added that the possibilities of car-pooling schemes on a welfare basis to meet occasional urgent needs were under consideration. _
The Petrol Tax in N.I.
IT was for the Northern Ireland
Government to decide whether relief from the 6d. petrol tax would extend to transport undertakings in that" country, said Mr. Niall MacDermot, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, this week. He understood that the Minister of Finance had already indicated that he was willing to take this action.
No Compulsion on Thief-Proof Locks THE Minister of Transport this week turned down a suggestion that he should introduce legislation to make thief-proof locks on new vehicles corn-. pulsory. He told Rear-Admiral Morgan Giles (Tory, Winchester) who put for-' ward the idea, that he did not consider such legislation would be justified.