Motor Car Act 1903
Encyclopedia
The Motor Car Act 1903 introduced registration of motor cars and licensing of drivers in the United Kingdom
and increased the speed limit.
which had increased the speed limit for motorcars to 14 mph from previous 4 mph speed limit in rural area and 2 mph in towns. There were some who wished to see the speed limit removed altogether. The influential Automobile Club
(soon to become the Royal Automobile Club or RAC) was split on the subject; the chair of the working group on the Bill was Lord Montagu
(MP) who took a moderate line supporting speed limits, but was opposed on this by the chairman of the organisation Roger Wallace who were 'strongly against any speed limit' and described Montagu as a 'traitor'. The secretary of the club publicly proposed a 'compromise' of 25 mph without authorisation. Parliamentary debates were described as 'bitter'.
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A Royal Commission
on Motorcars was established in 1905 which reported in 1907 and recommended that motorcars should be taxed, that the speed limit should be abolished (by a majority vote only) and raised concern about the manner in which speed traps were being used to raise revenue in rural areas rather than being used to protect lives in towns. Amendments were discussed in 1905, 1911, 1913 1914 under the titles Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment bill and Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment (No 2) bill.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and increased the speed limit.
Context
The act followed the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896Locomotives on Highways Act 1896
The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom...
which had increased the speed limit for motorcars to 14 mph from previous 4 mph speed limit in rural area and 2 mph in towns. There were some who wished to see the speed limit removed altogether. The influential Automobile Club
Royal Automobile Club
The Royal Automobile Club is a private club and is not to be confused with RAC plc, a motorists' organisation, which it formerly owned.It has two club houses, one in London at 89-91 Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, Surrey, next to the City of London Freemen's School...
(soon to become the Royal Automobile Club or RAC) was split on the subject; the chair of the working group on the Bill was Lord Montagu
John Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu
John Walter Edward Douglas-Scott-Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu , was a British Conservative politician and promoter of motoring....
(MP) who took a moderate line supporting speed limits, but was opposed on this by the chairman of the organisation Roger Wallace who were 'strongly against any speed limit' and described Montagu as a 'traitor'. The secretary of the club publicly proposed a 'compromise' of 25 mph without authorisation. Parliamentary debates were described as 'bitter'.
Sections
- Section 1 of the Act introduced the crime of reckless drivingReckless drivingReckless driving is a major moving traffic violation. As a legal term, it is used within the United States. This offence has been abolished in the United Kingdom and replaced...
, and imposed penalties. - Section 2 of the Act introduced the mandatory Vehicle registrationVehicle registrationVehicle registration is the compulsory registration of a vehicle with a government authority. Vehicle registration's purpose is to establish clear ownership and to tax motorists or vehicle owners....
of all motor cars with the county councilCounty councilA county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
or county boroughCounty boroughCounty borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
council in which the driver was resident. The council was to issue a unique number to each car, and prescribe the manner in which it was to be displayed on the vehicle. The Act also made it an offense to drive a motor car on a public road without displaying its registration numberBritish car number platesVehicle registration plates are the mandatory number plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle, and have existed in the United Kingdom since 1904...
. - Section 3 made it compulsory for drivers of motor cars to have a Driving Licence. No test was required. However, a licence being given by the council on the payment of five shillings. The qualifying age for a car licence was 17 years and for a motor cycle 14 years.
- The speed limitSpeed limitRoad speed limits are used in most countries to regulate the speed of road vehicles. Speed limits may define maximum , minimum or no speed limit and are normally indicated using a traffic sign...
on public highwayHighwayA highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
was raised to 20 mph from 14 mph which had been set by the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896Locomotives on Highways Act 1896The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom...
. - Section 9 of the Act allowed for lower speed limits to be implemented after a local inquiry.
- Regulations are introduced regarding the brakingBrakeA brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
ability of vehicles.
Legacy
The Act was intended to last for only three years but was extended by the Expiring Laws Continuance Act 1900 until a new bill was seriously discussed in 1929 and enacted as the Road Traffic Act 1930Road Traffic Act 1930
The Road Traffic Act 1930 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced by the then Minister of Transport Herbert Morrison following the 1929 election which resulted in a hung parliament in which the Labour party won the most seats for the first time and Ramsay MacDonald became...
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A Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on Motorcars was established in 1905 which reported in 1907 and recommended that motorcars should be taxed, that the speed limit should be abolished (by a majority vote only) and raised concern about the manner in which speed traps were being used to raise revenue in rural areas rather than being used to protect lives in towns. Amendments were discussed in 1905, 1911, 1913 1914 under the titles Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment bill and Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment (No 2) bill.
See also
- Locomotives on Highways Act 1896Locomotives on Highways Act 1896The Locomotives on Highways Act 1896 removed the strict rules and UK speed limits that were included in the earlier Locomotive Acts which had greatly restricted the adoption of motorised vehicles in the United Kingdom...
- Roads Act 1920Roads Act 1920The Roads Act 1920 was Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which established the Road Fund, introduced tax discs-Clauses:The Act:*Required councils to register all new vehicles and to allocate a separate number to each vehicle...
- Road Traffic Act 1930Road Traffic Act 1930The Road Traffic Act 1930 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced by the then Minister of Transport Herbert Morrison following the 1929 election which resulted in a hung parliament in which the Labour party won the most seats for the first time and Ramsay MacDonald became...
- Road Traffic Act 1934Road Traffic Act 1934The Road Traffic Act 1934 was Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom introduced by the then Minister of Transport Hore-Belisha after the 1931 general election which was won by the Conservative Party by an absolute majority of the votes cast...
- Road speed limits in the United KingdomRoad speed limits in the United KingdomRoad speed limits in the United Kingdom are used to define the maximum legal speed limit for road vehicles using public roads in the UK, and are one of the measures available to attempt to control traffic speeds. The speed limit in each location is indicated on a nearby traffic sign or by the...
Further reading
- Debate on the speed of motorcars in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom June 1903
- Debate on the Motor-Cars Bill in the House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
August 1903