The Illegality of "Stop and Be Weighed" Notices
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ONE of the most autocratic moves on the part of the Ministry of Transport was to inaugurate a scheme by which local authorities could provide officials, other than police in uniform, with signs carrying the words: "Stop and Be Weighed."
For a long time there has been doubt as to the legality of this procedure, it being apparently contrary to the provisions of the Road Traffic Acts. Following correspondence between the Ministry and Major The Hon. Eric Long, T.D., J.P., political adviser to Associated Road Operators, the solicitors for the Association obtained the opinion of a prominent K.C., who advised that the '.Minister had no power to authorize the stoppage of vehicles by this means.
A case arose of a member of the Association whose driver refused to obey such a sign displayed by officers of the Middlesex County Council, and the solicitors in question thereupon invited the Council to prosecute, so that the question might be determined.
The Chief Officer of the Public Control Department of the Council then stated that he was instructed not to institute spch a test prosecution, and pending the result of a fuller consideration and discussions now in progress, the Middlesex inspectors would not use the stop notice boards.