Work Outside User Built Up to 90 Tons a Night
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A TEMPORARY haulage contract which gradually developed into a regular service, involving 90 tons. of goods each night, was described to the Scottish Licensing Authority, Mr. W. F. Quin, this week, when William Dobson (Edinburgh), Ltd., asked for the normal user covering -32 A-licensed vehicles to' be amended. They explained that they had been carrying esparto grass between Edinburgh and Billingham (Durham) outside their published pormal user—" agricultural produce within a 20-mile radius."
To carry on this work they wanted three of their existing 39 A-licence vehicles to have a new user. For the carriage of esparto grass from Edinburgh to leilbagie, near Alloa, they needed the user of another .29 vehicles changing, together with the addition of three 15-ton tippers to the licence.
B.T.C. and Hauliers Object The application was opposed by the British Transport Commission, J. and A. Smith (of Maddiston), Ltd., James Hernhill, Ltd., and the Scottish Central Carting Co., Ltd.
For Dobson's, Mr. J. Cowan, Q.C., said that if the application were granted only seven vehicles, all 'of them articulated outfits, would be left on the original A licence.
In evidence, Mn W. A. Dobson said the normal work included transport for Scottish Agricultural industries, Ltd., carrying goods to warehouses in the Leith area. Last year S.A.I. opened a new factory in Leith, and they asked Dobson's to carry surplus C.C.F. fertilizer to I.C.I. at Dillingham on a temporary basis, returning to Leith. with sulphate of ammonia.
Dobson's were twice told that it was planned to transfer the work to ship, but when dock charges were raised the traffic became permanent, and now they were being asked to carry 90 tons each night as no storage was available.
For the work to be economical, 15-ton tippers -were required, and Dobson's had only three. Consequently they put three more on contract A licence, and now they wanted to transfer these to A licence.
Big Demand for Tipper Questioned by Mr. C. E. Jauncey, for the B.T.C., Mr. Dobson said eight-wheeled tippers were in big demand in Edinburgh and district for coal haulage and dock work. No one else in Edinburgh had 15-ton tippers and they had unsuccessfully tried every known source within a reasonable radius.
Mr. Jauncey. submitted that Dobson's had been operating to Dillingham for a considerable time outside their normal user. When the work restarted in February they should have applied for a shortterm,licence to cover the change.
Mr. Quin replied that deviations from aormal user had been described as irregular but not illegal. No short-term licence would have been granted when Dobson's were doing only what an A licence entitled them to do.
Answering further questions, Mr. Dobson said he was not prepared to sure6 render small tippers for the eightwheelers. Their customers on the public works side would suffer;
. The vehicles on theBillingham run were fully employed and a normal user of " bulk fertilizer for Scottish Agricultural Industries, Ltd., to and from Dillingham on that licence would be sufficient.
Mr. Cowan objected to this suggestion, pointing out that such conditions would make A licences similar to restricted B licences. However, Mr. Quin said he did not agree. Dobson's were entitled to go anywhere if they did not go too often, so "95 per cent." should be added to the user.
After a short adjournment, Mr. Dobson agreed, and Mr. Quin said that, subject to confirmation of the evidence by the SAL witness, the change of user would be granted.
Questioned on the need for additional vehicles on the second new licence, Mr. Dobson said hired vehicles were doing all the S.A.I. port work and medium tippers had to be used for the North British Rubber Co, These customers were dissatisfied. Bigger vehicles would enable double the work to be done in the same period of time.
Mr. Cowan pointed out that, comparing 1958 with 1957, there was an increase of 12,000 tons in local bulk carriage for S.A.I. in addition to the Billingham work. From January to October, an additional 52,000 tons of opencast coal was carried, and the total bulk increase was in the region of 96-98,000 tons.
The application for a new A licence for three vehicles to carry fertilizers between Edinburgh and Billingham was granted. The second application continues.
MINISTRY BLAMED FOR LORRY ACCIDENT
WHEN a lorry ran into a bollard and lamp standard on a roundabout at Stonebridge, on the CoventryBirmingham road, the Ministry of Transport were at fault because the lamp was switched off. This judgment was given at Coventry County Court, on Monday, when the Ministry were ordered to pay £188 13s. damages to the lorry-owners, Park Row Engineering, Ltd., London.
It was stated that the aaident occurred at 4.30 a.m. 'on August 28, 1957. The lorry was extensively damaged and the claim had been made to cover repairs.
The Ministry's counter claim for £94 18s. 7d. in respect of damage to the bollard and standard was dismissed. The plaintiffs were awarded costs.