Motor Vehicle Construction and Use Regulations, 1966 (Hansard, 15 November 1967)

§ 40. Mr. Peter Mills
asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the new regulations in the Motor Vehicle Construction and Use Regulations, 1966, which require new and existing vehicles to be plated, if she will provide for a longer transitional period before these become final.

§ Mr. Carmichael
No, Sir. Goods vehicles coming into use on or after 1st January, 1968, are required by those regulations to carry plates showing the weights at which the manufacturer considers them fit to operate. I see no reason why this should affect our declared intention to start testing and plating existing heavier goods vehicles at Government Testing Stations in July, 1968.

§ Mr. Mills
Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that many small road hauliers have many problems these days with increased taxation and fuel charges and, therefore, a much longer transitional period is needed? Will he look at the matter again?

§ Mr. Carmichael
We appreciate the point raised by the hon. Member, but, if he recalls the debates on the Road Safety 424 Bill, he will realise that it was made clear that the House as a whole would view with disfavour any delay in starting a Government testing and plating service.

§ 41. Mr. Peter Mills
asked the Minister of Transport why the new Vehicle Construction and Use Regulations, 1966, do not provide for the testing requirements to be done by county councils, which in many cases have efficient testing systems for this purpose.

§ Mr. Carmichael
There were no suitable facilities of the kind required for comprehensive tests of the heavier classes of goods vehicles, for which new techniques and equipment have had to be developed. The most economical way of providing these facilities and of operating them was to design a network of purpose-built stations.

§ Mr. Mills
What the hon. Gentleman is saying is not exactly right. Some county councils, particularly my own, have adequate facilities for doing the job, and this would save a considerable amount of money. Will he again look into this?

§ Mr. Carmichael
The feeling was that the general pattern throughout the country showed that there was not a sufficient number of stations available for comprehensive tests of the class required. I suggest that the hon. Gentleman may like to visit the Ministry's prototype station and compare this with any other station he has seen in the country.