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78
Twice during 1963 the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint
Committee considered the matter of atmospheric pollution from motor
vehicles.
In January, 1963, it was learnt that the Holborn Borough Council
had suggested that there should be technical investigation to define an
acceptable quality of vehicle exhausts in inner urban areas. The Standing
Joint Committee considered that research on the subject of petrol and
diesel fumes and ways of limiting emissions from motor vehicles should
be regarded as a matter of urgency and that, if a final report by the
Ministry of Health (who have been investigating this matter for many
years) was not likely to be available immediately, consideration should
be given to the issue of an interim report. The Standing Joint Committee
decided to make representations to the Minister accordingly.
Subsequently, in October, 1963, the Council was informed by the
Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee that they concurred
with the views expressed by the Hampstead Borough Council that the
present requirements for private motor cars of a certain age to be
periodically examined and approved in accordance with Section 65 of
the Road Traffic Act, 1960, should be extended to cover commercial or
diesel-engined vehicles, with special regard to the emission of excessive
exhaust fumes and Vapours, and they made representations to the
Minister of Transport accordingly.
Installation of new furnaces
Under Section 3 of the Clean Air Act, 1956, the installation of all
new furnaces except domestic furnaces of less than 55,000 British Thermal
Units per hour capacity must be notified to the local authority. The
purpose of the section is to ensure that new furnaces installed shall be
capable, so far as is practicable, of being operated without emitting smoke.
During 1963, 80 such notifications were received.
Provision is also made in this section of the Act for proposals relating
to the installation of new furnaces to be submitted to the local authority
for approval, and during 1963, 37 applications were approved.
Since the Clean Air Act, 1956, came into operation on 1st January,
1956, up to the end of 1963, a total of 508 notifications have been received
concerning the installation of new furnaces, of which 119 applications were
submitted for approval.