Road Transport Activities
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IN PARLIAMENT
By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent
Figures of Oil from British Coal.
T"Secretary for Mines, upon being asked what amount of oil was obtained from British coal by any process during 1932 and the tonnage of coal involved, said no official information was available, but it was estimated that in 1932 25,000,000 gallons of motor benzoic, 2,500,000 gallons of benzole for other purposes and 225,000 tons of creosote oils were distilled from coal in Great Britain. The tonnage of coal consumed in high and law-temperature carbcmization processes from which the above products were obtained was not yet available for 1932. For 1931 the figure was 30,549,000 tons. In that year the quantity of the oil products obtained was rather higher than in 1932.
Red Lion Bridge Traffic. Red Lion Bridge Traffic. ATTENTION was called to the dangerous condition affecting the traffic at the Red Lion Bridge, Maghull, and the Minister was asked if he would take the necessary eteps at once to enable the local authority to complete the bypass road so as to avoid traffic crossing the bridge. Col. Headlam said' he was aware of the unsatisfactory conditions affecting traffic at this bridge and of the desirability of completing the scheme for by-passing it. He was communicating with the local authority as to the possibility of an early resumption of work.
Motorcar Direction Indicators.
UPON being asked to consider the introduction of legislation compelling motorists to use indicators affixed to the windscreen and the back of a car in order to "show which direction they intended• to take, Col. Ileadlam pointed out that in their recently published report the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs did not recommend that the use of direction indicators should be made compulsory, but that, if used, they should comply with certain standard requirements. He had intimated his intention of accepting this recommendation.
Provision of Footpaths.
LLEWELLYN JONES desired _LY_Lto know the extent to which highway authorities were providing proper footpaths for the safety and accommodation of foot passengers, and whether, when grants were made from the Road Fund to local authorities, they would be conditional on the provision and maintenance of footpaths at the side of all classified roads, Mr. Stanley said he was not in a position to furnish statistics as to the extent to which footpaths were being provided, but he had no reason to think that highway authorities generally did not attach proper importance to the duty laid upon them by Section 58 of the Road Traffic At It was the practice of his department to require the provision of adequate footpaths where this was desirable and practicable in approving any scheme of improvement or new construction for grant from the Road rand ; but he was not prepared to attach the general condition suggested.
Mr. Llewellyn Jones pointed out that in many parts of the country where new roads had been made or roads had been reconstructed, they were simply racing tracks and there was no footpath on the side or, if there were footpaths, they were riot fit for pedestrians to walk along. Mr. Glossop suggested that local. authorities paid much more attention to the provision of footpaths than did the local inhabitants, who invariably walked on the road when there was a footpath.
Fast Driving on Chelsea Embankment.
Sin IAN MACPHERSON asked the Home Secretary if his attention had been called to the dangerous driving on Chelsea Embankment, which many drivers treated as a racing track, if he was aware that accidents were frequent, and if he proposed to take any action in the interests of the general public. 'Sir John Gilmour stated that during the year ended February 28 last 198 soddents on Chelsea Embankment were reported by the police, and they reported 25 cases of dangerous and careless driving and 329 cases of heavy vehicles exceeding the speed limit. Foot police and traffic patrols gave constant attention to the driving of vehicles on this thoroughfare and would continue to do so.
Sir Ian Macpherson asked whether, in view of the really daneerous situation in that pgrticular thoroughfare, the Home Secretary would take more active steps to stop this dangerous driving and racing. Sir J. Gilmour said the attention of the authorities hail been called to this matter and he was sure that every care was being taken.
Congestion in Argyll Street.
ATTENTION having been called to traffic congestion outside the Palladium Theatre, Argyll Street, London, the Home Secretary said this comparatively narrow thoroughfare tended to become congested owing to the large number of vehicles canine at adjacent premises for purposes of loading or unloading goods or taking up or setting down passengers. The police were fully alive to the need for keeping a clear passage, and they took action when vehicles were left unattended for unreasonably long periods. London Passenger Transport Bill.
rwN the report stage of the London V./Passenger Transport Bill in the House of Lords on Tuesday the tines. ton of adding to the body of appointing trustees members of the Transport Board was again raised by the Earl of Halsbury, who moved that, in the case of appointments to fill vacancies at any time after the first constitution of the appointing trustees, the chairman or some other member of the Board nominated by the Board should be appointed a trustee. The amendment was accepted by the Government and agreed to.
With reference to the amendment moved in Committee by Lord Mount Temple to revert to January, 1931, as the date ending the five-years' period, the average output of which is to regulate the extent of the manufacture by the Board of bus bodies at Chiswick, Lord Londonderry intimated that the Government had considered the proposal of Lord Mount Temple, but was unable to accept it. The amendment was accordingly negatived and 1932 retained in the Bill. A large number of minor amendments was agreed to,
Road Accidents Bill (IN March 28 the House of Lords V./Select Committee on the Road Traffic (Compensation for Accidents) Bill held its first meeting, which was private. Lord Iveagh was elected chairman. A public session is fixed for May 4.
Hearing of Licence Applications.
TR'
Minister of Transport was asked
by Mr. Berner, on behalf of Mr. Thorp, why an application of the Thames Valley Traction Co., Ltd., of Reading, for a licence to run stage coaches between High Wycombe and Lane End was appointed by the Traffic Commissioners for the Southern area to be heard at Weymouth, more than 100 miles away, although the head office of the Commissioners was at Reading, and they also held sittings at Oxford and at High Wycombe.
He was also asked whether 18 other applications were also fixed for hearing either at Weymouth or at Dorchester, both over 100 miles away, and whether he would direct the Commissioners to have more regard to the convenience of applicants.
Col. Headiam, the Parliamentary Secretary, said that under Section 64 of the Road Traffic Act, the Commissioners were required to hold the public sittings at such places in their area as appeared to them convenient, and he was assured that in exercising their discretion it was their normal practice to have regard to the convenience of applicants. He was, however, causing aecopy of Mr. Thorp's question to be circulated to the• Traffic Commissioners concerned.