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Lords Amendment: In page 27, line 17, at the beginning, insert:
(1) For the purposes of those provisions of Sub-section (1) of Section nineteen of the Road Traffic Act, 1930 (as varied or amended by any order or subsequent enactment) which relate to the number of consecutive hours for rest which a driver is to have in any specified period, time during which the driver is hound by the terms of his employment to obey the directions of his employer, or to remain on or near the vehicle, or during which the vehicle is at a place where no reasonable facilities exist for the driver to rest away from the vehicle, shall be deemed not to be time which the driver has for rest.
§ 4.50 p.m.
Mr. STANLEYI beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."
This Amendment has been made to meet a point raised by the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall) and relates to the periods of rest which are already prescribed by law for the drivers of these vehicles. The hon. Member complained that in many cases the rest afforded was of such a kind that a man was really unable to benefit from it, and, particularly, he drew attention to the grave abuse of the bunk system whereby a driver is supposed to take his rest on the vehicle while motoring. The Amendment will now provide that the statutory hours of rest which the driver is to take must not be taken during the time that a driver is bound to obey the directions of his employer, nor can it be taken in any case where there are no reasonable facilities for the driver to rest. This will make it impossible for the practice to continue of allowing drivers to stop seven or eight hours by the side of the road where there are no facilities for proper rest provided.
§ 4.51 p.m.
§ Mr. G. HALLMay I express our thanks to the Minister for meeting us on this point. I think that he has met us in the way we desired, and that there is no doubt now as to how the Amendment is to apply. It will serve a useful purpose and we are indeed indebted to him for it.
§ Sir BASIL PETOI also wish to add a few words of thanks to the Minister on my own behalf and on behalf of other Members of the House who have been interested in this matter. We are glad to see from the form of the words in the Amendment that it will be possible, not only to secure the safety of the public through the drivers of these heavy road vehicles having reasonable opportunity for rest, but that it will also be possible for them to lead the life to which they are entitled as human beings.
§ Question, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment," put, and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendments to page 27, line 22, agreed to.
§ Lords Amendment: After Clause 27, insert: