§ 29. Mr. JAMES WILSONasked the Minister of Transport whether he will give particulars of the application he has received to extend the time a driver of a public service vehicle may remain continuously on duty and to reduce the periods of rest as prescribed in Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, for the protection of the public against the risks which arise where a driver is suffering from excessive fatigue; whether he has sought the advice of the Industrial Court on the matter; and whether he proposes to adopt the recommendations of the court?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONI have received a joint application under Section 19 (3) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, for variations of the hours of employment laid down in that Section on the part of the Transport and General Workers' Union on the one hand and the Com- 1169 mercial Motor Users' Association, the Motors Hirers' and Coach Services Association, the Municipal Tramways and Transport Association, the Tramways, Light Railways and Transport Association, and the Omnibus Owners' Association on the other. The application, which relates only to the passenger transport side of the industry, was referred by me to the Industrial Court for advice in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
After careful consideration of the advice tendered by the Industrial Court and of all the circumstances of the case, I have decided to make an Order which shall have the following effect:
1. As a variation of paragraph (1) of sub-section (1) of section 19.
In the case of a stage carriage where in any period of 24 hours one continuous period of duty only is worked, then for such period of duty the limit of 8½ hours may be substituted for the limit of 5½ hours, if the driver of the vehicle is allowed intervals of time for signing on and off and for looking over the vehicle before the vehicle leaves, and after the vehicle returns to the garage, and for lay-over to an extent which, in the aggregate, is not less than 45 minutes, provided that where the continuous period of duty does not exceed eight hours, the allowed intervals of time need not exceed 40 minutes.
2. As a variation of the proviso to subsection (1).
In the case of a stage carriage the period of eight consecutive hours may, on one day in any period of seven consecutive days, be substituted for the period of nine consecutive hours for rest.
3. As an additional proviso to paragraph (iii) of sub-section (1).
If between any two periods of driving an express carriage or a contract carriage there is an interval of not less than four consecutive hours at a destination during which the driver of the vehicle is able to obtain rest and refreshment on one day in any period of seven consecutive days, or on two days if the said period includes a Bank Holiday, the period of eight consecutive hours may be substituted for the period of 10 consecutive hours of rest.
§ Mr. WILSONIs my right hon. Friend aware that, as a result of the reduction in the over-all hours of the railway drivers, there has happily been a reduction in the number of accidents both to the public and to the railway staffs; and does he not now think that a substantial increase in the over-all working hours of the men working road transport will defeat the very object he has in mind, which is to protect the public against accidents on the highways?
§ Mr. MORRISONI think that my hon. Friend overlooks the fact that the Section, as modified, will in effect enormously improve the conditions in road transport.
§ 32. Sir W. BRASSasked the Minister of Transport whether he will make an order for all public service vehicles to carry red triangular stop lights at the rear, operated automatically when the footbrake is applied, in order to reduce the risk of collision when these vehicles are stopped suddenly, without warning, to pick up or drop passengers?
§ Mr. HERBERT MORRISONI am afraid that I cannot accept the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion. The use of stop lights is not compulsory on any motor vehicle and there do not seem to me to be sufficient grounds for making an exception in the case of public service vehicles. Every driver knows that these vehicles are liable to stop to pick up and set down passengers and should make allowance accordingly.
§ Sir W. BRASSDoes not the right hon. Gentleman realise that in the country the warning is very often not given by the driver, and this effect causes people rather to tend to run into the back of those vehicles?
§ Mr. MORRISONI suggest to the hon. and gallant Gentleman that the case is really no more strong in the case of public service vehicles than in any others, and I would warn him against this tendency to insist upon a vast field of bureaucratic interference.
§ Mr. MILLSIs the Minister aware that the London General Omnibus Company have already adopted this system, 1171 and that by comparison with some of the publicly-owned tramways of London, they are a very great asset to the rest of the travelling community, because of the rapid way they pull up without warning?
§ Captain GUNSTONIs the right hon. Gentleman also aware that there is great danger to the passengers getting off these vehicles on to the pavement unless the motor vehicle behind is warned?
§ Mr. MORRISONThe passenger gets off after the vehicle has drawn up to the curb.
§ Captain HAROLD BALFOURWill the right hon. Gentleman consider applying this to the trams, because their electro-magnetic brake causes them to decelerate at a quicker rate than any other vehicles on the road?
§ Mr. MORRISONI have no powers under the Road Traffic Act in that connection.