Road Transport Topics By Our Special in Parliament Parliamentary Correspondent UTILITY CARS—NO CHANGE.
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AGAIN Mr. Maxwell raised the question of utility cars, asking the Minister whether, in view of the recent High Court decision restricting their speed to 30 m.p.h., these vehicles might be treated and licensed as private cars.
Mr. Burgin replied that he saw no sufficient reason for asking Parliament to alter the provisions of Section 14 of the Finance Act, 1922, under which a vehicle used at times for the carriage of goods (whether in the course of trade or privately) and at times for the carriage of passengers was liable to Excise Duty at whichever of the two rates was the higher for the particular vehicle.
Mr. Storey asked whether the Minister had considered the judgment in the appeal by case stated from a decision of Essex justices of Hubbard v. Messenger, and whether he intended to take steps to free utility cars from the 30 m.p.h. limit imposed upon goods vehicles under Schedule 1 of the Road Traffic Act, 1934, when used solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects.
The, answer, in this case, was to the effect that if a vehicle of this type were so altered as to be no longer suitable for the carriage of goods, but only for that of passengers and their effects, it would no longer be subject to a speed limit as a goods vehicle. It obviously would not be practicable to enforce a speed limit which depended upon what a particular vehicle was carrying upon B16 a particular journey; this must depend more on the purpose for which the vehicle was constructed.
HIGHWAY CODE VIRTUALLY LAW.
A SUGGESTION was made that a L-k regulation should be issued under which, when a traffic light was green, drivers should enjoy preferential right of way even against the pedestrians who might be waiting to cross at a Belisha beacon.
The Ministerial reply was that the Highway Code advised pedestrians at controlled crossings to cross only when the appropriate line of traffic was held up. Section 45 (4) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, provided that failure to observe the Highway Code might be relied upon in Court proceedings as tending to establish or to negative liability.
A REGULATION NOT NEEDED.
FROM Mr. Thurtle came a request that, in view of the number of accidents arising from driving at speed over blind bridges, a regulation to check this practice should be issued. The Member was referred by Mr. Burgin to paragraph 10 of the Highway Code, viz., "Always be able to pull up your vehicle well within the distance from which you can see the road to he clear, whether by night or by day,which seemed to him to meet the case.
ROADS EXPENDITURE IN SCOTLAND.
IT was officially stated that the net
proceeds of motor licence duties collected in Scotland during the past three years amounted to £7,650,000. Payments to Scottish authorities in respect of highway expenditure, during those years, amounted to £7,484,000.
CONSOLIDATION OF HIGHWAY LAW.
THE Minister of Transport hopes to make a statement shortly with regard to the composition of the proposed Committee to consider the consolidation of highway law.
PARKING ON THE RIGHT.
UPON a suggestion that the Minister should issue a regulation that motor vehicles should not draw up at the roadside the wrong way of the traffic, especially at night, Mr.Burgin intimated that he had no power to make such a regulation, but he reminded the House of Section 50 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, paragraph 43 of the Highway Code and Regulation 12 of the Lighting Regulations.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF PENALTY ENACTMENT.
ABILL has been introduced in the House of Lords by Viscount Elibank to amend Section 5 of the Road Traffic Act, 1935. This section deals with endorsement of licences and disqualification.