New Roadside Blitz Launched
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THE roadside examination of 130.000 goods vehicles in 1965 (compared with 117,000 last year) is the aim of the Ministry of Transport in a new campaign which is now being mounted with the aid of the extra examiners who have been recruited. One inspection team will be operating in each of the 12 traffic areas on every working day during the summer and autumn; on at least four full days in each area every examiner will be on roadside checks; instead of being concentrated, as in last year's blitzes, teams will operate at points throughout the areas; and on one or more days there will be a programme of tests in every area simultaneously.
On Wednesday, the Minister of Transport attended a check on A40 near Northolt and in one period 54 vehicles were stopped, of which 27 were cleared but there were five immediate prohibitions and 23 delayed (an artic got two— one for each part). Representatives of RHA and TRTA had accepted ;In invitation to be present and were able to
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comment freely to the Press and talk with drivers and the Minister.
Mr. Fraser commented that heavy goods vehicles had a better accident -record than most others when their mileage was taken into account, and many were well maintained, but there was ample evidence that many operators failed to do this—and a lot were a threat to road safety. The campaign was not an attack on road haulage, whose organizations were doing a lot to promote better standards, but the less responsible operators had to be shown forcibly that vehicles must be properly maintained and used.
He added a significant warning: It would be no use operators complaining if inconvenience and delay resulted from prohibitions, or if their vehicles were out of service longer than had been the case in the past. if a lot of notices had to be issued, then delays were inevitable before the examiners could make the second inspection for clearance.