§ Mr. RENTOULasked the Minister of Transport if he will consider whether it is practicable for more stringent regulations to be made in regard to the size, design, and equipment of road vehicles so as to lessen the great damage done by these vehicles to the road surfaces and, by way of definite tests to be followed by departmental recommendations or official experiments, to encourage improved types of vehicles in order to lessen the great cost of road maintenance?
§ Mr. GOSLINGAs the hon. Member is aware, the questions referred to by him were comparatively recently considered by the Departmental Committee on the Taxation and Regulation of Road Vehicles, and were dealt with in their second interim Report. I do not consider it practicable to make the existing regulations more stringent at the present time. I have no power to make tests or official experiments as suggested, but I am seeking to obtain such powers in the Roads Improvement Bill, which I recently introduced, and which will I hope receive the hon. Member's support.