§ 70. Mr. DAYasked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the case in which Thomas Grainger, a driver of a London County Council fire engine, stationed at the Brixton fire station, was summoned for driving a fire engine past the traffic lights 884 at South Lambeth Road; and will he consider introducing regulations that will allow fire engines when answering a fire alarm to have the right of way?
Captain HUDSONFire engines normally take precedence by common consent, and with the assistance of the police, over all other traffic, and the Departmental Committee on Traffic Signs who considered this matter stated that "No emergency would justify the driver of a fire engine in taking a risk of colliding with other vehicles proceeding in accordance with the signal indications." To make the alteration suggested might defeat its own object by causing an accident which would delay the fire engine in getting to the fire.