FIRST EASTERN INQUIRY: UNFIT VEHICLES
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THE first public inquiry in the Eastern area, under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, was held at Cambridge, last Monday. by Sir Haviland Hiley, K.B.E. The Commissioner, in his introductory remarks, summarised the Act as calling for a satisfactory standard of commercial-vehicle maintenance and operation. He referred to the question of wages and other conditions of employment that must now be regarded seriously, and mentioned that already suspension of operation had been enforced in more than one instance where defective vehicles were concerned.
It is now quite clear that C licences will be in operation not later than July 1 next, but, as already reported by The Commercial Motor, the date for A and B licences has been advanced to October 1. It is anticipated, however, that the hearing of applications cannot be completed within that period and short-term licences will, no doubt, be issued wherever necessary. Sir Haviland intimated that he would not com,mit himself at this stage to the granting of full-period licences.
Apparently the completiOn of application forms left much tit be desired, and the Commissioner ad, ised operators, if in difficulty, to seek advice from their association or elsewhere. Mr. Lloyd, chairman of the eastern area committee of the Road Haulage Association, then expressed the Association's intention to co-operate so far as possible with the authorities, and Mr. Mayo spoke in a similar strain on behalf of the railways. • Before the first application was called, representation was made on behalf of the Cambridge (Borough)
Market that the railways' probable objections to applications would cover those of several hauliers on whom the market relied. Figures were quoted to demonstrate the very small percentage of cattle, sheep and pigs which had hitherto been brought into the market via rail.
The first application to be heard was that of Mr. W. E. Long, of Harston, who operates a 1,000-gallon petrol tanker to and from Thames Haven. In submitting an objection, reference was made to four other contractors as being already able to cover the work. It transpired that none of these four operated a suitable vehicle and the nearest poin:: from which one would be available was Barking. On this evidence and the support of his customer, Mr. Long succeeded with his application for a licence.