AGY-537 | Department of Road Transport and Tramways

Full description

In 1932 two Acts brought about change to the management of transport in New South Wales. The Ministry of Transport Act, 1932 (Act No.3, 1932) established the Ministry on 22 March 1932(1) . The Transport (Division of Functions) Act, 1932 (Act No.31, 1932), which received assent on 19 November 1932.(2) , created a Ministry of Transport comprising the Minister and three statutory authorities - the Department of Railways; the Department of Main Roads; and the Department of Road Transport and Tramways, each headed by a Commissioner. The New South Wales Transport and Highways Commission was established by the Transport and Highways Act, 1950 and exercised a supervisory role over the Department of Road Transport and Tramways from 22 May 1950 until its abolition. This Commission’s purpose was to plan for the provision of an ‘efficient, adequate, economical and properly integrated system of public transport’ (3) The Commission had wide powers enabling it to:
ensure that the branches of the Ministry of Transport were efficiently conducted;
review policy for the development of transport throughout the State;
consider and make recommendations concerning any proposal from the agencies, which comprised the Ministry of Transport and co-ordinate, their annual budgets, and
‘control and direct’ the branches of the Ministry. In order to perform these functions the Commission could inspect the offices and examine records and have access to all properties and other assets. (4) The Transport (Division of Functions) Act was twice amended in 1952. On 1 June 1952,(5) under the Transport (Division of functions) Amendment Act, 1952 (Act No.15, 1952) the responsibilities relating to the registration of privately owned motor vehicles were transferred to the Department of Motor Transport and Highways, later renamed Department of Motor Transport. Public omnibus and tramway services and the licensing of private buses, became the responsibility of the Department of Government Tram and Omnibus Services, later renamed the Department of Government Transport. Footnotes:
(1) New South Wales Government Gazette No.37, 22 March 1932, Vol.1, p.1403
(2) New South Wales Government Gazette No.169, 25 November 1932, p.4184
(3) Transport and Highways Act, 1950 (Act N0 10, 1950) s. 8 (1) (a)
(4) Ibid s. 9
(5) New South Wales Government Gazette No.114, 30 May 1952, Vol.2, p.1861