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COMMERCIAL MOTOR
Officially Recognized by The Commercial Motor Users Association.
The Authority on all forms of Motor Transpott. Largest Circulation.
Conducted by EDMUND DANGERFIELD. Editor: EDWARD S. SHRAPNELL-SMITH.
The Growth of Interest.
The growth of interest in motoring generally has again been testified by the remarkable attendances at the recent private-car Show in London. The huge Olympia building, notwithstanding the elimination of the free-ticket nuisance, was crowded to crushing point, and even beyond it at times. Sales were, we learn, more numerous than at any earlier Show. Yet one sees, certainly in the Metropolis, comparatively few horses in use for private purposes. The new growth evidently springs from sources other than that which was at one time euphemistically termed the " carriage-folk " class. The diversity and spontaneity of buying origin are attributable in a large measure to the fact that the motorcar affords facilities and does work which neither horses nor the railway, nor any combination of them, can effectually furnish or undertake.
The prospects on the commercial-motor side have undoubtedly been strengthened and improved by the outstanding success which has again been achieved by the S.M.M.T. at its annual Olympia Show of private cars. The parcelcar side will again be, accentuated at the further Show, also at Olympia, which is on the point of opening, and which is more particularly devoted to cycle-type constructions, with an attractive sprinkling of miniature motorcars in addition. All these various branches of the industry have their bearing upon and connection with the heavier branches, and lead up to them. Public and commercial attention is directed to performance records and particular possibilities in connection with lorries, omnibuses and vans. The private owner also has his business interests ; he argues from one to the other.
It will be noticed, from our report of the proceedings on the occasion of the Agents' Section dinner of the S.M.M.T., -which was held at the Holborn Restaurant one evening last week, that Mr. S. F. Edge, the president of the sivr.m.T., suggested that the number of horses that are still to be seen on our highways is at least one indication of the potential existence of a. considerable total of new purchasers for private vehicles. How much more can it be truly said, as was pointed out by the writer in his speech, that the higher percentages of horses which are at the moment in service for the haulage of merchandise or commodities indicate fields of activity that have as yet not been exploited by the commercial-motor maker. Whilst the securing of statistics of an exact nature presents almost insuperable difficulties, we make bold to state that more than 90 per cent, of the street and road traffic of this country is still moved, either totally or in part, but in all cases for the present to the exclusion of the commercial motor, by horses. Tr, therefore, manufacturers have so far been able to appropriate to themselves less than 10 per cent, of the total horse-drawn traffic of the country, may they not derive great encouragement for the future from their own inward conviction that increasing shares of the remainder must quickly come their way. We are merely an the fringe of material developments and extensions.
Support by Chambers of Commerce.
The writer is at all times glad to observe evidences of interest in commercial motors on the part of the Chambers of Commerce. The Liverpool Incorporated Chamber set an excellent example many years ago ; Mr. Worby Beaumont gave a lecture before its members so far back as the month of September, 1890, by arrangement with the Liverpool Self-Propelled Traffic Association : his concluding advice was—" stick to your horses for the present." The writer, at the time of the 1901 Trials' read a paper before it, and he also served for several years on its Special Transport Committee.
Two recent instances of such interest are provided from the important centres of Birmingham and Manchester, respectively. The first of these arose in connection with a report from the Railway Rates Committee of the Birmingham Chamber, one of whose members, Mr. T. A. Bayliss, originally made the suggestion which has now been adopted. This stiggesdon had its origin in the very serious inconvenience which occurs in a city like Birmingham, during even a short strike, and is to the effect that a register of commercial-motor vehicles, which might be available for the use of -others than their owners in times of serious emergency, at an agreed charge, should be established. The idea is commendable if its effect remains somewhat in doubt. Owners find that their machines are of exceptional value to theraselves; at such times of stress, as a general rule.
The Manchester ease coacerns the recent decision of the Manchester Corporation, which was duly reported by us, to enforce a by-law requiring the exhibition of a lamp showing a red light behind on all vehicles. -The imminent application of this bylaw to horsedrawn vehicles has aroused much oppositionin Cottonopolis, on the part Of cartage contractors and other ownecs of horse-drawn plant. The directors. of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, who had a letter of -protest and other revisions before them, on Wednesday of last week, from the Manchester TeamOwners Association, have decided, very properly we think, to support the Corporation in its decision. We do not hesitate to assert that, had the matter arisen only a few years ago, the sympathies of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. would have been on the side of the horse and horse-owners. Now, it has to be noted, chiefly because "they do not consider that the suggested provision of a reflector behind lorries and drays is a. sufficient protection against the danger of collision," they have voted the other way. • We recall other Circumstances of like support. from important Chambers of Commerce in different parts of the country. During, for example, the R.A.C. Commercial Vehicle Trials of 1907, it was the writer's privilege to give, by invitation, lectures on performance and costs' subjects before the Bristol, the Birmingham, and the 'Leicester Chambers. Later in the same ..year, also by invitation, similar lectures were delivered by the writer before the Bath, Kidderminster, Limerick, and Aberdeen Chambers, amongst
others. Local attention was in every ease attracted to the subject of commercial motoring by the discussions which, followed the lectures, the reports in the local Press, and the particular instances of new ownership which immediately sprang from the meetings themselves.
The fact that numerous Chambers of Commerce are now showing so great interest must be regarded as further proof of the hold which the utility vehicle is securing over the commercial community at large, and we may add, in this connection, that TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR is regularly available in the offices and reading-rooms of the principal Chambers, for the information of the officers and active members.
London' sWestern Approach : Suggested Terms for Commercial Motors.
The Middlesex County Council has now given formal notice of its intention to apply for Parliamentary powers to make and maintain certain new roads, and to widen existing roads, to the west of London. This is the scheme for which THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR has worked most strenuously for several years past. There were, on repeated occasions, adverse circumstances which became so acute that the abandonment of the scheme appeared to be unavoidable. Arguments had to be formulated and advanced, to avoid a complete rupture of negotiations, and especially was this the case when the London County Council withdrew from the tri-partite proposal. We took the opportunity to help to maintain the extraLondon scheme in pos;,,e by participation in conferences and representations which were made alike to the Middlesex County Council and to the Road Board. It was the aTiter's pleasure to bear a share of this work at its most-delicate stage, and he is now able to share the reward of seeing the scheme rapidly apa proaehing definite and final form. Sir George Gilab and his colleagues on the Road Board required sustained and tenacious argument to be put before them, prior to their acquiescing in an allocation of Road Board funds to the extent of 75 per cent, of the total cost of the scheme, and it may truly be recorded that the Highways Committee of the Middlesex County Council resisted with nearly as much persistence the succession of events which ultimately brought about their decision to bear the remaining 25 per cent.
It now appears likely to transpire that we are on the threshold of protracted negotiation in the Committee-rooms of the Houses of Parliament. We have not in mind small matters of adjustment between property owners and the authorities, nor between railway companies and the authorities. Our interest is centred upon the announcement that provisions will be inserted in the Bill that. "no application shall be made, except with the consent of the Council, for powers to work or run any tramway, light railway, trolley vehicle, motor. or other omnibus service . .
. . . on any part of the intended new roads ; hut the Council shall have power to enter into agreement with reference to any of these matters ; and that any tribunal in granting such an application, or the Council in giving its consent, shall be empowered to prescribe terms and conditions as to payments to be made in respect of any such service to the Council or the maintenance of the roads and works.
The foregoing summary of certain contemplated powers shows that the Middlesex County Council, whilst it is quite ready to avail itself of some £420,000 of money derived from, motor taxation, wishes to impose restrictions of a special nature upon motorists who use the new highway. We consider that this course is essentially an unfair one, and we trust that the Roads Improvement Association, the Commercial Motor Users Association, and other bodies who are concerned to watch the interests of owners, will take early action to resist it. The Middlesex County Council is a tramway authority, and it may be seeking to benefit that competitive form of passenger transport at the cost of the motorbus which pays the petrol tax. a2
Defective Vehicles or Defective Tramway Tracks?
The London County Council, at its meeting on Tuesday last, considered the proposal of its Local Government Committee for a new by-law concerning the breakdown of vehicles in the streets. This Committee suggests the following terms for the new bylaw, which, it is given to understand, the Secretary of State will be prepared to allow to come into force, subject to the consideration of any objections which may be received within the statutory period of 40 days after a sealed copy of the by-law has been submitted. It is suggested that the by-law should read :—" In any case where a vehicle breaks down and causes obstruction to traffic in any street or public place and the breakdown of such vehicle is chie to its defective condition or to its being overloaded, the owner of such vehicle or any other, person. who caused or permitted it to be used and the driver thereof shall be guilty of offence; and be liable On conviction to a penalty not exceeding 40s., provided that no person shall be convicted under this by-law if he satisfies the court that lie had taken all reasonable means to put or maintain the •vehicle in proper condition or to prevent its being overloaded or being the driver of the vehicle that he was unaware of its defective or overloaded condition."
One cannot help suspecting that this contemplatsd legislation has been prompted, or. at any rate, abetted by the Tramway Department of the Council. It will be more than ever necessary, in particular, for all horsed-vehicle owners to ensure fair treatment for themselves when, as so often has happened in the past, the wheels of their loaded vehicles are wrenched off solely on amount of their contact with protruding and defective tramrails. We; have -frequently illustrated and commented upon the manlier of horsed wagonsn Which are disabled at such tramway junctions as, for instance; that at-the cross-points between Gray's Inn Road and Theobald's Road, breakdowns which it is true invariably -cause inconvenience to the rail-bound_ tramcars, a disability to which these immense units alone are subject as compared with all other forms of road traffic. The 'recent Select Committee on London traffic was informed that 500 horse-drawn vehicles are so damaged each month. We trust it is the intention of this L.C.C. Local. Government Committee also to provide for the fining of its Tramway Department on the frequent occasions when tramcars with defective ploughs or other taeMe break down for even a short period, and then imniediately cause the formation of an impenetrable line of cars which, in many cases within our knowledge; has extended to nearly a, quarter of a mile in length. This proposed by-law calls for more than cursory examination, and it may require to be varied.. .We, for example, consider that it is one-sided and unfair as drafted, in that exemption from fine on evidence that breakdown is due to damage by tramway faults is not contemplated. Sonic modification will be needed,