Comments upon the Report of THE ROYAL COMMISSION
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filHE promise of -.the, Royal JrCommission on Transport to issue in July an interim report dealing with the control of road traffic has been fulfilled, and I am authoritatively informed that a Government Bill will be introduced by Mr. Herbert Morrison, Minister of Transport, shortly after Parliament reassembles at the end of October, based upon the recommendations of the Commission. From the experience of the efforts of the late Minister to get his Draft Road Traffic Bill advanced, it would be unsafe to forecast the date of actual legislation, but Mr. Morrison is so convinced of the urgent need of new laws and his brief occupancy of office has so demonstrated his capacity and determination to get things done that it will be impossible to attribute to him any delay that may arise on the part of the Government in finding time this session for effective legislation. Everything points to the probability of the Government giving' Mr. Morrison's Bill a place in the sessional programme immediately after the legislation which is
now course of preparation to 'carry, out pledges to reduce unernPloyment. It is expected that a separate Bill will have to be drafted and introduced at a later date dealing with the very important'nrohlems of the licensing of public-service vehicles and the co-ordination of road passenger transport.
The Royal Commission hopes to produce in October a second interim report on this branch of its inquiry. Public safety has dictated the necessity of first proceeding with the control of traffic on the roads, and it is on this subject that the Royal Commission has presented its recommendations with a declaration emphasizing strongly the urgency of the matter and the fact that legislation is greatly overdue.
Tests of Drivers.
• The Commission discusses the subject of driving tests at some length, but is content to recommend that every applicant for a driving ,licence should be required to make a declaration as to his physical fitness to drive, under a severe penalty for false declaration, an appeal being allowed against refusal of licence. It recognizes the force of the arguments that no tests of qualifications based on knowledge and experience can be effective and it does not recommend them. The ages at which licences may be obtained should be raised from 14 to 16 in the case of a motorcycle licence, the present limit of 17 remaining in respect ce motorcar licences. The Commission also suggests that a licence to drive a goods vehicle exceeding 21
tons in weight unladen, or a public-service vehicle, should not be effective unless the holder of such licence is 21 years of age or over.
Traffic at Cross Roads.
All roads throughout the country should be graded in accordance with their degree of importance and, at road junctions, etc., traffic on the less important road should give way to traffic on the more important road. On all minor roads conspicuous notice boards should be erected at such junctions bearing the words "Dead Slow." The adoption of this recommendation sheuld not relieve drivers of responsibility for caution at road junctions. In towns the use of automatic light signals should be encouraged.
The Speed Problem.
The report of the Royal Commission is a concise, clear and interesting exposition of the problems upon which the Commission frames its recommendations. In many details they follow the lines of the Draft Road Traffic Bill, the most notable divergence being in respect of speed limits, which that Bill dealt with by alternative suggestions, whereas the Royal Commission lays down definite. proposals. Dealing with the problem of the acknowledged general non-observance of the present speed limits, the Commission points out that as regards motorbuses and coaches the Minister of Transport, in October, 1928, raised the speed limit for heavy motorcars fitted with pneumatic tyres (a category which comprises most buses and coaches) from 12 to 20 miles per hour, but both before and since his action in so doing, many operating companies have issued time-tables, sometimes with the approval of the licensing authority, under which their vehicles are scheduled to travel at greater speeds than this. Such flagrant and universal breaches of the law tend to bring the whole law of the country into contempt, and the enforcement of those provisions of the law relating to mechanically -propelled vehicles which are reasonable and necessary becomes increasingly difficult,
No Speed Limit for Motorcars and Cycles.
The Commission recommends that, provided all -wheels are fitted with pneumatic tyres, there should be no general speed limit for motorcars and motorcycles, as defined in Clause 1 (2) of the Draft Road Traffic Bill, viz., vehicles not exceeding three tons unladen when constructed solely for the carriage of passengers not exceeding eight in number, and in any other case two tons, 8 cwt. being the limit in the ease of motorcycles. Maximum limits of speed are neon:t
mended for other types of vehicle, in some cases
higher than those proposed in the Draft Road Traffic Bill. It is suggested that motorbuses and coaches fitted with pneumatic tyres should have a maximum speed limit of 35 m.p.h. and goods vehicles not exceeding. 21 tons weight unladen and fitted with pneumatic tyres a limit of 30 m.p.h.The latter vehicles are classed as motorcars (goods), 20 m.p.h. being the proposed maximum for heavy goods vehicles with an unladen weight of over 21 tons. The folldwing table gives the various maximum speed limits proposed for statutory enactment :—
Maximum Speed.
Class of Vehicle. (Miles per Hour.) 1, HEAVY LOCOMOTIVES.
(a) Within any city, town or village 3 (5) Elsewhere 5 2. LIGHT LocomorwEs.
(a) When not drawing a trailer, or when drawing not more than two trailers all wheels of both the locomotive and any trailer drawn thereby being fitted with soft or elastic tyres 8 (5) In any other case 5 3. HEAVY MOTORCARS.
(I) Passenger Vehicles.
(a) If all wheels fitted with pneumatic tyres and not drawing trailer ' 35 (5) In any other case ... 16 (II) Goods Vehicles and Motor Tractors.
(i) Without trailer—
(a) If all wheels fitted with pneumatic
tyres ... 20 (5) If all wheels fitted with soft or elastic
tyres, some of which are not pneu matic ... ... 16
(ii) With trailer—
(a) If all wheels, both of the drawing vehicle and of the trailer, are fitted.
with pneumatic tyres ..• ... 16 (5) If all tyres, both of the drawing vehicle and of the trailer are of soft or elastic material, some of which are not pneumatic ... ... 12 (iii) In any other case 5 4. MOTORCARS.
(1) Passenger Vehicles.
If all wheels fitted with pneumatic tyres, not drawing trailer, and constructed to carry not more than eight persons (exclusive of the driver) No limit. If all wheels fitted with pneumatic tyres, not drawing trailer, and constructed to carry more than eight persons (ex clusive of. the driver) ... ... 35 In any other case ... ... 20 (II) Goods Vehicles.
(i) Without trailer— (a.) If all wheels fitted with pneumatic
(5) If all wheels fitted with soft or elastic tyres, some of which are not pneu matic ... 20
(ii) With trailer— (a) If all wheels, both of the drawing vehicle and of the trailer; are fitted
with pneumatic tyres ... ... 16 (5) If all tyres, both Of the drawing 'vehicle and of the trailer, are of soft or elastic material, some of which are not pneumatic ..• 12 (iii) In any'other case ... " • 5 The Commission says that the licensing authority should be bound, as a condition of granting a licence for any passenger-carrying vehicle travelling on a regular route, to insist on a time-table heing provided which should be posted in the vehicle itself, and which c30 should make adequate allowance for stops, thus reducing the all-over speed to considerably less than 35 m.p.h.
In the case of a vehicle constructed to carry both goods and passengers, this must be classed, for the purpose of speed regulation, as a goods-carrying vehicle. Tractor-trailers or articulated vehicles should be considered as single vehicles.
Dangerous Driving Penalties.
As a set-off to the removal or increase of the speed limit the Commission proposes to increase the penalties for dangerous driving to a maximum of no fine in the case of the first offence and 1100 on a second or subsequent offence with the alternative of imprisonment and the suspension of the driver's licence if the court so orders on the first offence. The Commission, however, is of the opinion that on a second or subsequent offence there should be an automatic suspension of the licence for a period of not less than six months.
The Offence of Drunkenness. •
With regard to the much-discussed offence of " being drunk while" in charge of a car," it is proposed to adopt Lord Buckmaster's definition—" Any person found when driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle to be so under the influence of drink or drugs as to be incapable of having proper control of such vehicle shall be liable on summary conviction," etc. This should be made applicable in regard to all vehicles inechanically propelled or otherwise.
Inquiries into Accidents.
The Minister of Transport should be empowered to order an inquiry into the cause of any accident in which a motor vehicle is involved, and inquiry should be compulsory in the case of all accidents to public-service vehicles involving fatalities. Comprehensive statistics of the causes of all road accidents should be compiled by the Minister.
Questions of the construction of cars must be left to the Minister's discretion, subject to Regulations being presented to Parliament, but such important questions as speed limits, maximum unladen weights mid axle weights should be decided by Act of Parliament.
Personnel on Locomotives and Trailers.
It is thought that two persons driving or attending to a locomotive should have another person in attendance only when there are more than two trailers. The Commission approve of the proposed maximum number of trailers, viz., heavy or light locomotive, three trailers ; motor tractor, one laden or two unladen trailers ; heavy motorcar or motorcar, one trailer, Power to councils to permit the carriage on trailers of weights beyond legal limits on specified highways is approved.
Railway Level Crossings.
Railway level crossings should be abolished altogether, the cost being shared by the railway companies, the highway authorities and the Road Fund according to the local circumstances.
A system of adequate and uniform signposts throughout the country is recommended.
Terminal Garages for Buses and Coaches.
Among the worst offenders in leaving cars in the streets are owners of long-distance motorbuses and coaches, who should be compelled to provide their own garages at the terminal points. Commercial vehicles should be "moved on" by the police as soon as their business at the shop or warehouse is concluded.
Regulations for Lighting.
All cat% should be fitted with apparatus for dipping headlights to prevent dazzle or swivelling them to the left,
Persons . driving animals on the road after dark should be compelled to carry a light.
The 'lighting law appears adequate but the provisions of the 1927 Act should be enforced with greater strictness, The Commission considers that blacking out is exceedingly dangerous.
Automatic Signal. Lights.
In order to relieve the police and ensure the control of traffic at points not now controlled in towns, the Commission believes that the best method is a system of automatic-signal lights, the changing over of the lights being oontrollable as to time, so that the flow of traffic could be given a 'longer period in one direction than in the other.
The cost of installation would be between 1100 to £150 per crossing and the weekly upkeep from 15s. to 20s. The inclusive weekly cost of a police constable is between £.6 and £7, and at some crossings the lamps would probably relieve two constables for other duty. It is considered that the cost of the installa
tion and the additional cost in the way of temporary constables and payments for services of road scouts should fall on The Road Fund.
A Suggested Code of Customs.
Great importance is attached by the Commission to a proposal which was first brought to its notice by Sir Arthur Stanley regarding a suggested code of customs to be issued by the Ministry.
Attention may be drawn to certain of the points mentioned. All driving should be on the left side of the road, the vehicle only coming out to the centre to overtake a slower machine or to avoid congestion of vehicles at the left of the road. Never accelerate while any vehicle is passing; it is a most dangerous form of racing.
For pedal cyclists, it is pointed out that they should never ride more than two abreast and if motor traffic signals its intention to pass they should get into single file except on very broad reads.
Third Party Insurance. An attempt must be made to deal with ...third-party risk insurance. All that is required is that there should be insurance against personal injury to a third party.