Abnormal Loads Still Under Review
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L'INALITY has not yet been reached
in the discussions that have been taking place between the Ministry of Transport and representatives of organizations concerned with the movement of abnormal indivisible loads and engineering plant by road. At a meeting last week at the Ministry some concessions on the original proposals made by the Minister in May were announced, and the reaction to these concessions by the various organizations concerned is now receiving further consideration by the Ministry.
In the May proposals it was suggested that the Motor Vehicles (Authorization of Special Types) General Order should be amended to prevent the movement of any load which, with its carrying vehicle (excluding any drawbar), exceeded an overall length of 80 ft., other than by individual Order.
In response to this proposal the National Road Transport Federation submitted that such a restriction would he unrealistic, particularly as there were a number of trailers which already exceeded that length, and so would need a special Order for empty running.
If any restriction were to be imposed the Federation submitted that the length ,hould be at least 120 ft, end at last week's meeting the Ministry agreed to consider a restriction of 90 ft.
Similarly, in response to the original proposal that notice must be given to the police whenever loads exceeding 40 ft. were carried, representation had been made that here again several vehicles and trailers already exceeded this length and implementation of such a restriction would involve substantial extra work for the police. It was, therefore, suggested that this should be increased to 64 ft. and as a result the Ministry has now under review a compromise length of 50 ft.
It was emphasized that whilst representatives of the organizations concerned in the movement of indivisible loads appreciated the concessions announced. last week, full agreement was not reached and representations continue.
LIVIECH.E. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
SCIENCE and mechanical engineering were today becoming so closely integrated that the time was near when the conception of one without the other would be impossible. This was the theme of the presidential address to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers last week, by Prof. Owen A. Saunders. He said there must be new thinking in the field of education: