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5th March 1937, Page 57
5th March 1937
Page 57
Page 57, 5th March 1937 — Road Transport
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In Parliament

By Our Special Parliamentary Correspondent

I N connection with a recent case at Leeds, when a coal company's lorry, because of its bad mechanical condition,

had killed a child standing on a street refuge, Sir John Birchall asked that the Minister of Transport should take fur• ther action to prevent the use of motor vehicles when in a dangerous state.

Captain Hudson replied that the company had been fined £.60 for offences in connection with the use of this lorry. It was for the Licensing Authority to consider whether any further action should be taken. The condition of this concern's fleet of vehicles was being kept under observation.

Sir J. Birchall then asked whether Captain Hudson was aware that the fine was not for the offence which was the main cause of the question. He wished to know whether steps could be taken with regard to drivers being ordered to take on to the roads lorries that were known to be unfit—an offence to which attention was drawn by the Leeds 'Stipendiary Magistrate. lie received the reply that the Licensing Authority was an independent authority set up by • Parliament to deal with those matters. If there were another offence it would be for the police to take action. Mr. Benjamin Smith asked whether there were sufficient examiners under the Act to inspect these vehicles and to stop them from going out. Captain Hudson answered: "We do our best to see that this kind of thing does not take place."

ROAD REPRESENTATION ON ADVISORY COUNCIL.

THE question of the frequency of public hearings before renewals of A and B licences having been raised by Mr. Price, Mr. Hore-Belisha pointed out that A licences lasted for two years and a Bill was now before the House to extend the period of validity of these licences.

Mr. Price said there was dissatisfaction among road-hauliers with their lack of representation on the Transport Advisory Canned and asked whether the Minister would take steps to remedy this situation. He received the reply that the constitution of the Council was determined by the 1932 Act, and, before appointing the present members, representative organizations were consulted in the manner the statute prescribed.

Mr. Price asked if the Minister would consider the question of reappointment in order to give those people adequate representation. Mr. Hare-Belisha remarked that the Council now consisted of 29 members and the users of motor vehicles had five of that number.

NO OPPOSITION TO HOLIDAY TOURS!

T"present system of granting licences under the Road Traffic Act, said Mr. Roland Robinson, was causing anxiety among workers who made provision for their annual holiday in co-operation with certain road-transport concerns, He suggested the issue of special instructions to the Traffic Commissioners not to hear opposition to the applications of such concerns as dealt solely with organized holiday tours. Mr. Hore-Belisha said that the 1930 Act required the Commissioners to hear representations from interested parties, and he had no power to issue such instructions.

NEW BILL TO GIVE MORE SECURITY TO OPERATORS.

r-IN Tuesday, Lieut.-Col. Sandeman 'La/Allen introduced a Bill to amend the law governing the granting of goods and public service vehicle licences.

The Bill provides that, when notice of objection is presented, specific particulars, instead of generalities, should be given, also that the applicant should have to prove that employment for his vehicles is waiting, instead of that facilities do not exist. The next points are that renewals of A, B and C licences should 'be automatic, subject to certain conditions, and that there should be no disclosure of the business of the applicant by the Traffic Commissioners to a third party..

On the passenger side, the Bill states that only competitors on the road should be entitled to object to an dp.plication, and that the period of validity of licences should be three years instead of one. The Bill was read a first time.

COTTON CLOTH UNSUITABLE FOR ROAD MAKING.

WITH regard to the use, in this W country, of cotton cloth for road making, Mr. Hore-Belisha informed Mr. Burke that no advantage was gained. He had been in touch with those who had been experimenting on these lines, and their reports were not encouraging. He was ready, however, to listen to any representations that might be made to him.

UNIFORM ROUNDABOUT& IN view of the difficalty caused to driVers of commercial vehicles in negotiating rotary traffic islands, Mr. Sutcliffe suggested that they should be constructed on a uniform system. Captain Hudson stated that the Minister had recently issued a circular to highway authorities recommending a suitable design.


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