Road Transport Topics
Page 45
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In Parliament
By Our Special Parliamentar*Correspondent
NO SPEED INCREASE FOR CATTLE CARRIERS.
AQUESTION of considerable interest was put, last week, by Brigadier-General Clifton Brown. In view of the fact that heavy motorcars, built and used for the conveyance of horses, were permitted to travel at 30 m.p.h., the inquired whether, in order to facilitate the conveyance of other live animals by road to market, the Minister of Transport was prepared to exercise his power, under Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, by increasing to 30 m.p.h. the maximum speed of the heavy motorcar constructed or adapted for the conveyance of sheep, cattle, or pigs.
Mr. Hore-Belisha pointed out that Section 10 of the Road Traffic Act referred specifically and solely to horses, cattle being implicitly excluded, doubtless upon humane grounds. BrigadierGeneral Clifton .Brown pointed out that butchers gave extra money for sheep which were delivered by heavy motor vehicles, and therefore asked the Minister to consider enabling farmers to make use of this means for the transport of cattle. Mr. Hore-Belisha explained that, whilst racehorses were delivered in specially padded boxes, it would be cruelty to cattle—although perhaps a c,onvenience to the farmer— to send them travelling at a great speed in wagons not specially constructed for the purpose. BAN ON HORSES IN SPECIFIED STREETS.
A'important decision has been made by the Minister of Transport as the result of being asked to introduce legislation prohibiting horsedrawn traffic from certain thoroughfares in the London area at busy times of the day. He is going to give notice shortly of regulations to that effect.
MOTOR INSURANCE COMPANIES IN LIQUIDATION.
THE President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Runciman, who was asked to supply information concerning those insurance companies, doing motor insurance business, which had gone into liquidation since the passing of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, named five Companies.
Among the causes of insolvency given were insufficient capital, heavy claims since June, 1930, insufficient reserves, insufficient rates of premium, and heavy claims from third-party risks the premiums having been payable by instalments.
Deficiencies included sums from £138,767 to 2283,528, whilst the number. of persons who became uninsured totalled 323,434, PROPOSED MEANS FOR SYNCHRO NIZING SPEEDOMETERS.
I N order to assist drivers in the observance of speed limits, it was suggested that the Ministry of Transport should place at the disposal of all delvers means for synchronizing their speedometers similar to those available to the mobile police.
Mr. Hore-Belisha, however, fought shy of the idea, pointing out that makers of speedometers were commonly ready to test users' instruments for them.
LEGALITY OF GOVERNMENT TRANSPORT CONTRACTS.
"171.1E, Secretary of State for War was asked by a Labour Member if he knew that a concern of contractors to his department had been advertising for lorries and vans with drivers for a military-manceuvres contract between July 26 and September 18, stipulating that vehicles were to be not more than four years old and that A, B, or C licences were to be eligible. Further,. he inquired if the Minister were sails-. fled that this work' could be carried out by A and B licence-holders, arid "ii the' concern of Government contractors had the approval of his depits:: ment in advertising for C-licence holders to make contracts in apparent contravention of the law? •
Sir Victor Warrander, the Financial. Secretary to the War Office, exPlained that the attention of his department had not been called to this matter, "as contracts for transport were Placed by the local military authorities. He 'invited the questioner to supply him with details.