HL Deb 27 January 1930 vol 76 cc338-42

Limits of Speed.

Class of Vehicle. Maximum Speed—Miles per hour.
1. Passenger Vehicles, that is to say vehicles constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects:—
(1) if all the wheels are fitted with pneumatic tyres and the vehicle is not drawing a trailer—
(a) if the vehicle is adapted to carry not more than seven passengers, exclusive of the driver and is not an invalid carriage No limit.

3. Locomotives and motor tractors:—

(1) Heavy locomotives—
(a) Within any city, town or village 3
(b) Elsewhere 5
(2) Light locomotives—
(a) When not drawing a trailer or not drawing more than two trailers,
Class of Vehicle. Maximum Speed—Miles per hour.
if all the wheels both of the locomotive and of any trailer drawn by it are fitted with soft or elastic tyres 8
(b) In any other case 5
(3) Motor tractors—
(a) When not drawing a trailer if all the wheels of the tractor are fitted with soft or elastic tyres 16
(b) When drawing a trailer, if all the wheels both of the tractor and of any trailer drawn by it are fitted with soft or elastic tyres 8
(c) In any other case 5

Amendment moved— Leave out the First Schedule and insert the said new Schedule.—(Earl Russell.)

LORD SWAYTHLING

My Lords, the noble Earl on a former stage of the Bill mentioned the question of invalid carriages, and said that it was not one of very great importance. Under this Schedule the speed of invalid carriages is increased from sixteen to twenty miles an hour. These invalid carriages were refused compulsory third-party insurance, and when I moved an Amendment in Committee to include them, the noble Earl said he did not think much damage could be done by invalid carriages. But after the sitting of the House I was approached by a member of your Lordships' House who told me that that very day he had seen an invalid carriage careering along Oxford Street in and out of traffic at a rapid pace, and in his opinion it might have caused considerable damage. I hope, as this speed limit is increased, that the noble Earl will consider once more including these vehicles in the Part of the Bill concerning compulsory third-party insurance.

EARL RUSSELL

My Lords, if the noble Earl will bring any facts to our notice both as to the construction and possible speed of invalid carriages, and instances of any danger caused by them, we will consider the matter. When I said they were not an important class of vehicle I meant numerically. But if it is a fact that at this speed they will be dangerous, we shall be glad to reconsider it.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Third Schedule [Traffic Areas]:

EARL RUSSELL

My Lords, the first two Amendments are designed to transfer the portion of Hertfordshire outside the Metropolitan Polio; district from the East Midland to the Eastern traffic area.

Amendments moved— Page 79, leave out lines 41, 42, and 43. Page 80, line 6, at end insert ("So much of the administrative county of Hertford as lies outside the Metropolitan Police district."—(Earl Russell.)

On Question, Amendments agreed to.

EARL RUSSELL

There is also a drafting Amendment here.

Amendment moved— Page 81, line 6, after ("Orkney") insert ("Zetland").—(Earl Russell.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Fourth Schedule [Enactments Repealed]:

EARL RUSSELL moved to insert:—

"10 & 11 Vict. c. 89. The Town Police clause Act, 1847. The provisions of the Act with respect to hackney carriages so far as they relate of public service vehicles to which Part IV of this Act applies."
The noble Earl sail: My Lords, this is a drafting Amendment.

Amendment moved— Page 81, line 33, at end insert the said words.—(Earl Russell.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

THE EARL OF CRANBROOK had on the Paper an Amendment to move to insert—

"60 & 61 Vict. c.38. The Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897. In section 65 the words "and for preventing over-crowding in such conveyances."
The noble Earl said: My Lords, I understand that the noble Earl is prepared to accept this Amendment in a different form. Accordingly, instead of the words in the last column I propose to insert "Section 65 so far as it relates to public service vehicles to which Part IV of this Act applies."

EARL RUSSELL

My Lords, if the noble Earl moves it in that form, we will accept it. It has to do with Scotland.

Amendment moved—

Page 82, line 30, at end insert:

"60& 61 Vict. c. 38. The Public Health (Scotland) Act, 1897. Section 65 so far as it relates to public service vehicles to which Part IV of this Act applies."—(The Earl of Cranbrook.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

House adjourned at twenty-five minutes past six o'clock.