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16
This Committee has issued two Reports, and the Minister of Transport
convened a Conference of local authorities and other persons
interested towards the end of the year to consider the recommendations
of the Advisory Committee.
1. Statistics and Publicity.
That the results of the analysis of accidents contained in this Report should
be given every possible publicity. Parents and guardians should be warned in
particular of the greater liability to accident of children between the ages of four
and nine, and of the very real perils run by juvenile cyclists using public
thoroughfares.
2. Protection of children to and from school.
(a) That Education Authorities when considering proposals for centralising
schools should have particular regard to the character of the journeys likely to
be entailed on pupils by such reorganisation.
(b) That Local Authorities should endeavour in suitable cases to make provision
for grass roads to enable children to reach school as far as possible without having
to use the public highway.
3. Provision of Playgrounds.
(a) That Local and Education Authorities should assist so far as they are able
the work of the Evening Play Centres Committee and other similar Associations
in their work of organising games for children in school premises after school hours.
(b) That Local Authorities should consider the available facilities for playgrounds
for children under 14 and endeavour to provide, wherever possible,
playgrounds conforming to the standard of one playground every half mile with
a space of 50 square feet for every child in its radius, and that in this connection
surveys should be made with a view to ascertaining the amount of land at present
unbuilt upon or occupied by property of small value which would be suitable for
the purpose.
4. Investigation of accidents.
That the detailed investigation of all accidents recommended in our Second
Report on Accidents should include the collection of special particulars relating to
accidents to children in order to ascertain to what factors peculiar to children the
accidents may be primarily ascribed.
The General Conclusions contained in the Second Report of the
Traffic Advisory Committee are as follows:—
In the foregoing pages we have given an outline of the various aspects of the
accident problem which we have considered. It should, however, be borne in
mind that, though this problem presents itself in an acute form in London, it
will in many respects have to be treated nationally. For instance, to give effect
to such of our recommendations as relate to the institution of compulsory insurance
against third party risks legislation would have to be introduced. The same applies
to our recommendations on subjects which are covered by the draft Road Traffic
Bill and which may be amplified or modified as a result of the recommendations of
the Royal Committee on Transport. It is also clear that the matters dealt with
in the recent report of the Departmental Committee on Traffic Noises and Cross Road
Dangers are matters of national concern.
In other respects, however, the problem is undoubtedly a local one, and we
therefore always have due regard to the question of the safety of the streets as
distinct from the question of traffic convenience in our recommendations, whether
as regards Regulations to be made for the improvement of traffic conditions, as
regards road improvements, or otherwise. We also consider that the close investigation
of the main thoroughfares now proceeding, although it must, having
regard to the area to be covered, take a considerable time, will be productive of
satisfactory results since we expect that it will reveal that by carrying out certain
improvements not necessarily costly, these streets can be rendered safer than they