Road Traffic Act 1930
Encyclopedia
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 Prime Minister.
. Amendments had been discussed in 1905, 1913 and 1914 as the Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment Bill and Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment (No 2) Bill. Since 1926 in which there were 4,886 fatalities in some 124,000 crashes a detailed set of national statistics (now known as Road Casualties Great Britain
) has been collected. It was not until 1929 that a new Road Traffic Bill was discussed in detail following a Royal Commission
report on Transport, 'The control of traffic on roads'. which was adopted almost in its entirety. During a parliamentary debate on making speedometers compulsory in 1932 it was suggested that speed limits for cars were removed by this act because "the existing speed limit was so universally disobeyed that its maintenance brought the law into contempt" rather that for considerations of safety.
and the Motor Car Act 1903
and introduced many new regulations which controversially included the removal of all speed limits on UK roads
for motor cars.
It was amended in 1988 and at other times.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
introduced by the then Minister of Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Morrison
Herbert Stanley Morrison, Baron Morrison of Lambeth, CH, PC was a British Labour politician; he held a various number of senior positions in the Cabinet, including Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.-Early life:Morrison was the son of a police constable and was born in...
following the 1929 election
United Kingdom general election, 1929
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
which resulted in a hung parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
in which the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
party won the most seats for the first time and Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
became Prime Minister.
Context
The last major legislation on road traffic was the Motor Car Act 1903Motor Car Act 1903
The Motor Car Act 1903 introduced registration of motor cars and licensing of drivers in the United Kingdom and increased the speed limit.-Context:...
. Amendments had been discussed in 1905, 1913 and 1914 as the Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment Bill and Motor Car Act (1903) Amendment (No 2) Bill. Since 1926 in which there were 4,886 fatalities in some 124,000 crashes a detailed set of national statistics (now known as Road Casualties Great Britain
Road Casualties Great Britain
Reported Road Casualties Great Britain , formerly Road Casualties Great Britain and before that Road Accidents Great Britain is the official statistical publication of the UK Department for Transport on traffic casualties, fatalities and related road safety data...
) has been collected. It was not until 1929 that a new Road Traffic Bill was discussed in detail following 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...
report on Transport, 'The control of traffic on roads'. which was adopted almost in its entirety. During a parliamentary debate on making speedometers compulsory in 1932 it was suggested that speed limits for cars were removed by this act because "the existing speed limit was so universally disobeyed that its maintenance brought the law into contempt" rather that for considerations of safety.
Clauses
The Act repealed the Locomotive Act of 1865, 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...
and the Motor Car Act 1903
Motor Car Act 1903
The Motor Car Act 1903 introduced registration of motor cars and licensing of drivers in the United Kingdom and increased the speed limit.-Context:...
and introduced many new regulations which controversially included the removal of all speed limits on UK roads
Road speed limits in the United Kingdom
Road 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...
for motor cars.
Relating to motor cars
It included the following provisions:-- Abolition of all speed limit for cars
- Introduction of driving offences - dangerous, reckless and careless 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 driving whilst being unfit and under the influence of drink or drugs - Compulsory third-party insuranceLiability insuranceLiability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk financing to protect the purchaser from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims. It protects the insured in the event he or she is sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy...
- The first UK driving testUnited Kingdom driving testThe United Kingdom driving test is a test which all United Kingdom learner drivers must pass to obtain a full driving licence. Different tests are available for users of different vehicles, from car drivers, to motorcyclists and HGV drivers. In Great Britain it is administered by the Driving...
s, for disabled drivers only - Classification of motor vehicles
- Construction, weight and equipment of motor vehicles
- Issue of Highway CodeHighway CodeThe Highway Code is the official road user guide for Great Britain. In Northern Ireland the applies while the Republic of Ireland has its own Rules of the Road. It contains 306 numbered rules and 9 annexes covering pedestrians, animals, cyclists, motorcyclists and drivers...
For public service vehicles
It included the following provisions:-- Central regulation of UK coach services
- Introduction of a 30 mile an hour 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...
for buses and coaches. - Issue of public service vehicles
- Rules regarding the conduct of drivers, conductors and passengers on public service vehicles.
- Limitation of hours of continuous driving
It was amended in 1988 and at other times.
Third parties (rights against Insurers) Act 1930
The Road Traffic Act was strengthen by the 'Third parties (rights against Insurers) Act 1930'.Legacy
Many clauses introduced by the Act have been retained. Regulations relating to insurance, licensing and driving offences have continued to evolve since that date.See also
- Hill v BaxterHill v BaxterThe case of Hill v Baxter concerns the issue of automatism in English law. It sets out reasonably clear guidelines as to when the defence will apply, and when it will not.-Facts:...
- 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...
- Motor Car Act 1903Motor Car Act 1903The Motor Car Act 1903 introduced registration of motor cars and licensing of drivers in the United Kingdom and increased the speed limit.-Context:...
- Road Casualties Great BritainRoad Casualties Great BritainReported Road Casualties Great Britain , formerly Road Casualties Great Britain and before that Road Accidents Great Britain is the official statistical publication of the UK Department for Transport on traffic casualties, fatalities and related road safety data...
- 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...
- 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...
- 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...
Further reading
- The control of traffic on roads. (Royal Commission on Transport 1929)
- The licensing and regulation of public service vehicles(Royal Commission on Transport 1929)
- Royal Commission on Transport - Final report
- Debate in the House of Lords - December 1929
- Debate in the House of Lords - January 1930