HEAVY LORRY REGULATIONS

Otago Witness, Issue 4041, 25 August 1931, Page 63

HEAVY LORRY REGULATIONS

TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT’S WORK. WELLINGTON, August 18. Seen to-day with reference to the draft amendment to the heavy lorry regulations, the Minister of Transport (Mr W. A, Veitch) said that the Transport Department had been actively engaged during the last two years carrying out extensive investigations in connection with road transport generally.

Specially qualified engineers were obtained from the Public Works Department, and a good deal of information had been placed at the disposal of the local authorities. The response had been extremely gratifying in most cases, with the result that about 3000 miles i ln ?P° rt l ant ,nai n highways had been classified by the local authorities in conjunction with the department for the purpose of reducing the gross loads of vehicles. This would result in considerable economies in road costs and the actual cost of road transport. Every opportunity had been taken also to encourage the road controlling authorities to bring about a wider observance of these heavy lorry regulations, but it was not likely that any action would be taken by the Transport Department which would have the effect of materially increasing transport costs. It was interesting to note, said the Minister, that some of those authorities loudest in their criticisms of the suggested changes in the regulations were doing little or nothing to enforce the necessary restrictions under the existing regulations which protected their own ratepayers. In regard to the new regulations the Munster said that the Government had sought constructive advice, but its efforts to obtain a harmonious consultation had not been universally accepted in that spirit, and in some cases the proposals had been opposed on the ground of additional expense, whilst economies which tar outweighed the cost had been ignored. Mr Veitch said that arrangements had been made with the Counties’ Association and others to hold a conference m Wellington to consider the draft regulations and all the su—ested amendments. The conference woidd include representatives of local bodies, road users, and motor interests as well as an executive committee specially set up by the Civil Engineers’ Society to investigate rural reading in the Dominion.