THE REGULATION OF TRAFFIC.
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How the Tramcar Imperils the Safety of Other Road Users.
REPRRSENTATIVES of the Association of Municipal. Corporations and the Municipal Tramways Association have recently been considering the subject of the regulation Of traffic at tramway stopping places, and as a result of the conference a joint letter has been forwarded to the Ministry of Tiansport expressing the hope that the department
will reconsider its previous decision not to initiate legislation on the matter.
In urging the department to reconsider its decision in this matter, which is regarded as one of first importance to the travelling public, attention is directed to the following points :— The number of street, accidents caused by vehicles, other than omnibuses and tramcars, has seriously increased during recent years. (In support of this the figures below are taken from the Home Office returns of street accidents.) :— 1913, 28,927; 1914, 33,072; 1915, 37,669; 1916, 33,155; 1917, 27,101; 1918, 21,802; 1919, 32.998 ; 1920, 38,344; 1921, 41,640; 1922, 47,309.
With regard to fatal accidents, the return shows that there was a decrease in connection with omnibuses of '36.03 per cent., and tramcars of 21.72 per cent. Those arising from other vehicles increased by 114.5 per cent. The rapid increase during the past ten years in the number of mechanicallypropelled vehicles. especially those of high speed, has added to the danger of persons using the streets. In December, 1913, the number of such vehicles in the United Kingdom was I stated to be 425,838. On May 31st, 1923, the number was 1,035,656.
Experience has shown that the regulation of street traffic is both possible and practicable, and examples of this are submitted in the by-laws in operation and commonly observed in Glasenw and Edinburgh in this country, and in New York and Philadelphia in America.
The magnitude of the travelling public concerned, it is pointed. Out, is indicated by the fact that in 1921-22 the number of passengers carried on tramways was 4,256,263, in Great Britain, as shown by the return issued by the Ministry.
The Association of Municipal Corporations has adopted the following recommendation of its police committee, after, careful consideration :—
"We have considered the question of the regulation of traffic on tramway routes, and we recommend that steps should be taken to secure legislation in this respect, so as' to. provide that when a tramcar is standing at a stopping place indicated by a notice on the side of the street, every driver of a vehicle who intends to pass on the left or near side of such car shall draw up immediately before arriving at such stopping place until the roadway is clear of passengers entering or leaving such car."