§ Lieut.-Commander Tufnellasked the Minister of Transport whether he is now in a position to state what amendments he proposes to make in the regulations referring to the testing of brakes on private motor cars?
§ Mr. BurginYes, Sir. I have circulated to representatve associations (in accordance with Section III (2) of the Road Traffic Act, 1930) a draft amendment to384W Regulation 95 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1937, as follows:
- (i) Save as hereinafter provided, the power conferred by this Regulation to test and inspect the brakes, silencers or steering gear of a vehicle on the premises where the vehicle is shall not be exercised unless either the owner of the vehicle consents or notice of the date and time at which it is proposed to carry out the test and inspection has been given to him in accordance with the provisions of the next succeeding paragraph;
- (ii) the notice shall be given to the owner of the vehicle personally or left at his address not less than 24 hours before the time of the proposed test and inspection or shall be sent not less than 72 hours before that time by registered post to him at his address;
- (iii) for the purposes of this Regulation, the owner of the vehicle shall be deemed to be—
- (a) in the case of a vehicle licensed under Section 13 of the Finance Act, 1920, the person appearing as the owner of the vehicle in the register kept under Section 6 of the Roads Act, 1920, by the Council by whom the licence was issued;
- (b) in the case of a vehicle used under a general licence, the person whose name is given on the licence as the person to whom the licence was issued; and
- (c) in the case of a vehicle which is used under an international circulation permit, the person to whom the permit was issued, and, save in the case of a vehicle used under an international circulation permit, the address of the owner of the vehicle shall be deemed to be the address appearing in the register of the Council by which the licence was issued;
- (iv) the foregoing provisions as to notice shall not apply in the case of a test and inspection made within 48 hours of an accident to which Section 22 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, applies in which the vehicle has been involved.