OMNIBUS DEATH -ROLL IN LONDON

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3699, 7 December 1912, Page 3

OMNIBUS DEA T H -ROLL IN LONDON

LIMITATION OF LICENSES TO BI CONSIDERED.

The Home .Secretary made an important statement in tho House of Commons recently in reference to the motor-bus traffic in London.

Replying to Mr. Kellaway (!»., Bedford), Mr. McKenna stated that 118 persons were killed by motor-omnibus-es and 21 by electric trams in the Metropolitan area from Jan. 1 last to Tuesday, October 9th last inclusive. The number of licenses issued for motor-omnibuses in London during the nine months ended September 30 last was 1,949. He was informed, however, that many of the licensed issued during the end of last year, and the early part of 1912 were in respect of vehicles of an old type since permanently withdrawn. He had seen the resolutions' passed by Borough Councils and other public bodies in London calling attention to the increase in the number of persons killed by motor-omnibuses, the damage which they caused to property, the unsurtability of many of the routes through which they ran, the excessive speed at which they were often driven, and the “failure of the present system of traffic control by the Home Office to remedy any of these evils.” The whole. matter, so far as it concerned the public safety, was engaging his attention, and he would confer with the Commissioner of Police ns to whether any further action by the police was possible. But it must be remembered that neither the Home Office nor the Commissioner had any power to control the omnibus routes or to deal with ouostions of damage. Mr Kellaway : Is it not in the power of the Commissioner to decide how many licenses shall be issued to such vehicles?

Mr. McKenna : I believe that is so. but as it is a question of law I would rather have notice of it.