A-Licence Sought After C.-Hire Haulage is Brought to an End
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A FTER an article about C-hire had been published in The Commercial Motor I-1 on March 28, Hoover (Electric Motors), Ltd., decided to-end their contract arrangements, although they had been told that their activities were strictly legal. This was stated by the company's Cambuslang (Lanark) production manager, Mr, J. H. Turner, when he supported an application by Oswald Transport, Ltd., Ayr, at Ayr last week. Oswald's wanted to add two vehicles and two trailers to their A licence.
There were objections by Road Services (Caledonian), Ltd.; Gavin Wilkie, Ltd.; D. MacKinnon (Transport), Ltd.; British Railways; and • British Road
Services. .
Mr. Turner said Hoover required a guaranteed service from a single haulier to transport washing-machine motors from Cambuslang to Merthyr, South Wales. The motors were sent on special racks and the service was part of the production line, so any break would be serious. Oswald's had done this work satisfactorily for six years, and if they were not granted the vehicles the company would have to use their own transport. Production had increased by 20 per cent, in the last year.
Substantial Fleet
Mr. J. Kirkland, for the applicants, said they operated a substantial fleet of 19 vehicles, eight of which were based in the Scottish Are.a,.and the remainder in the West Midlands, Metropolitan and North Western Areas, During nationalization four vehicles were provided for Hoover under C-hire, and this arrangement had continued until April, this year.
During 1957-58, Oswald's gross earnings were £131,393 compared with £123,786 for 1956-57. The earnings of the Scottish-based vehicles went up from £45,645 to £50,642. Traffic out of Ayr rose from £70.360 to £74,070, and C-hiring for Hoover increased from £13,079 to £14,734.
24-hour Day
Since April. when C-hiring ceased, normal maintenance schedules had had to be abandoned and the vehicles were working 24 hours a day with a changeover system for drivers at Newcastle under Lyne, and shunters at both ends. Consequently they were having to hire more to meet the needs of another major customer, the Scottish Stamping and Engineering -Co., Ltd., Ayr, but although they went as far as Glasgow, Falkirk and Edinburgh, they could not get sufficient suitable vehicles. Hiring figures had decreased from £16,132 in 1956-57, to £11,953 last year, solely for this reason.
Questioned by Mr. J. MacKenzie, for MacKinnon and Wilkie, Mr. C. McClelland, a director of the applicants, said A.S. Roadways, Glasgow, in which he and his brother were partners, were responsible for the C-hiring arrangements, acting as Hoover's agents. They hired the vehicles from Oswald and provided the drivers, and operated them for Hoover. Payment was made to A.S. Roadways, who, after paying the drivers, passed the remainder to Oswald, for Which they received a commission at the end of 12 months.
Replying to Mr. Quin, Mr. McClelland said the two drivers formerly employed by AS. Roadways were now working for Oswald Transport. Mr. Quin commented that he could understand why Hoover became uneasy about the arrangement.
Mr. R. Whiteside, of Scottish Stamping, said Oswald's were responsible for all their transport. Recently they had been let down from time to time, and in every case this had been proved to be through the use of hired vehicles.
Mr. Quin observed that this was rather a different case from that of a customer desiring to change his method of operation. There were no C-hiring discs to surretider, as the change had already been made. It would have to be dealt with on the basis of expansion of business. He refused the application.
SMITHFIELD INQUIRY
I-1 A COMMITTEE Of inquiry into the delivery, handling and distribution of meat at Smithfield market will begin its work on July 21.
Reading Expects Loss of Traffic to Go On
THE number of passengers using Reading buses during the past 12 months fell by 1,066,165 compared with the previous year, Car. D. L. Stoddart, chairman of the transport committee, told the town council last week. He blamed the losses on television and the growth of personal transport.
The undertaking's accounts showed that the trading deficit amounted to £9,829, which became £13,092 when a number of capital items financed from revenue were added. However, interest on investments more than offset added expenditure, and the final overall figure by which the reserves were depleted was £9,524.
Cllr. Stoddart said it had been an achievement to hold fares at a stable and reasonable level in the face of all their difficulties. It was obvious that if they had taken the easy way out and instituted another increase they would have had a substantial surplus.
Fares Warning
"I hope we shall .find it possible to continue this policy, but if costs continue to rise it is inevitable that our fares must go up," he warned.
During the year they carried 37,145,380 passengers, a drop of 1,066,165, and he thought the trend would continue unless Reading's population substantially increased, or their area of operations was widened. Attempts to get working hours staggered had not been successful, and it might be that peak-hour cuts would have to be made.