Melbourne’s Buses’ Brakes Also Squeal

Press, Volume C, Issue 29638, 7 October 1961, Page 13

Melbourne’s Buses’ Brakes Also Squeal

There was continual research to try to find a method of reducing the squealing of brakes in buses, said the general manager of the Christchurch Transport Board (Mr J. F. Fardell) yesterday, when he replied to a letter to the editor of “The Press.” The correspondent, “For Advancement,” said that Melbourne by-laws made it impossible to drive a, vehicle loaded with such things as iron rails unless they were separated by sacks or boxes to prevent noise. Truck and bus brakes were forbidden to “squeak,” he said. It appeared that the bylaw was enacted originally to guard against the noise of horse waggon wheel brakes. Mr Fardell replied. The same group of by-laws forbade the feeding of a horse in the city except from a nosebag. Melbourne had brakes which squealed, just as they did anywhere else where

automobiles were used,” Mr Fardell said. In his letter, “For Advancement” asked: “Why do Christchurch bus brakes screech to the annoyance of passengers and street public? How do drivers fare as no noise remains unheard and unregistered without mental, if not physical effect? What safeguards are provided by by-laws in Christchurch? “There is no one way of effecting a complete cure, but we do endeavour to pick up the vehicles which are squealing badly and try to reduce the noise level by various aids which we have,” Mr Fardell said.

“We are informed that the Melbourne law applies to the City of Melbourne only, and that the transport undertaking in Melbourne covers some 34 municipalities. There is no by-law in the outer municipalities which relates to squealing brakes. There is no clause in the Victorian Motor-car Act or regulations dealing with squealing brakes. The only by-law which can be found is bylaw number 250 of the City of Melbourne, clause 64. which reads:

"“No person shall, when driving a vehicle in any street, use any brake, the application of which to such vehicle produces a noise calculated to cause annoyance to persons in such street or in any premises abutting on or adjacent thereto. The employer of the driver of any vehicle on which a brake is used contrary to the provisions of this section shall also be guilty of an offence hereunder’.”