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The Sword of Damocles

12th May 1931, Page 81
12th May 1931
Page 81
Page 82
Page 81, 12th May 1931 — The Sword of Damocles
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

ROAD transport for commercial needs, in respect of both passengers and goods, is entering upon even a more critical stage of its history and development. Already it is suffering front the effects . of, first, over-delayed and, then, far-too-hasty legislation. So rapilly has regulation followed regulation and scheme followed scheme that the transport world is almost bewildered. Manufacture has experienced a serious setback, and users have been forced into a state of further depression through not knowing when and where the sword will again fall.

It is thought by many— and we believe rightly— that the move made by the Minister of Transport in connection with the public control of London's passenger transport is only a forerunner of other and more drastic efforts to secure national control of all forms of transport throughout the country.

It may well he that the assistance which is being given to the railways in their fight against road transport is another step towards the ultimate goal, for if the railways became masters of the road, then, by stepping forward at the opportune moment, the Government could, by taking over the railways as a so-called measure of national necessity, automatically absorb road interests with the least possible trouble to itself. Mr. Morrison is undoubtedly a very clever strategist. He loOks farther ahead • than many, and, consequently,is able . to make the initial moires with his pawns without • his ultimate • • 'objectsbeing fully, realized. His SutivitY is such that he succeeds in persuading people to agree to. policies which are often opposed to their own interests or to • those of the causes which they should be serving. The enthusiastic applause which he was accorded • after khis speech at the last annual dinner of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders is a typical example of his per sUasiveness.

The road-transport industry has to bear a large share of the cost of the piper, and, unfortunately, it is not yet in a position to call the tune.

So far, apart from excessive taxation, the goods section of the industry has not been so vitally affected, except by the somewhat drastic limitation of driver's hours, but there are signs that this state of comparative freedom is not likely to -endure much longer. Consequently, it is of the utmost importance that it puts its own house in order. The individual haulier or' vehicle owner can have practically no say in matters which are likely • to exercise a great influence upon his interests, and it is essential that he should link up with others to .safeguard his rights. The Progress of the London Passenger Transport Bill.

THE Minister of Transport has already made some progress towards eliminating the opposition to his scheme for the acquisition of the whole of the London passenger-transport interests by the London Passenger Transport Board.

He referred to this matter recently in a speech made at a meeting of the South Hackney Labour Party League of Youth, stating that the discussion which he had conducted with Lord Ashfield on behalf of the Underground Group had occupied a long period, and the negotiations had been delicate and, sometimes, critical.

How critical these negotiations must have been can only be judged by those who attended the recent meeting of shareholders of the Underground Group, at which a resolution was passed authorizing Lord Ashfield to proceed with the negotiations on the terms which he had put forward. That this consent was given, after much criticism, was a personal triumph for Lord Ashfield, but not a true commendation of the policy thus endorsed. Almost without exception the shareholders who took part in the discussion were at first strongly against the approval; it was only when Lord Ashfield threw himself into the balance, stated that he would redeem his promise to the Minister in any circumstance, and that if the shareholders did not support him they would have to find somebody else to manage their undertakings, that his resolution received their majority vote. Mr. Morrison still has to overcome the objections of many important interests, including the London County Council, which, like many of the others, is not only dubious about the financial side of the matter, but does not believe that the principle is one which should be endorsed.

The Effect of Fuel Cost.

A LTHOUGH the cost of petrol is the most -3-familiar of all the items of expenditure involved in the operation of a motor vehicle, its actual incidence and, more particularly, the effect of its rise and fall, are hardly understood and only vaguely realized. It is generally appreciated that this effect is greater in vehicles of large capacity than it is in small, because the one covers a much smaller mileage per gallon than the other, but, beyond realizing that and assessing the difference in cost accordingly, nothing much is done.

Now that is where the average user goes astray. The proper thing to do is to assess the difference in terms of the proportion of total cost. This can be carried out for a variety of vehicles in a very simple way if it be realized that for most goods vehicles fuel cost is about one-fifth of the total, with petrol at Is. per gallon, and for passenger vehicles, because of their greater mileage, it is about one-quarter. Expressing that as a percentage of the total cost, the figures are 20 per cent. and 25 per cent. respectively, and consequently an increase of 2d. per gallon, which is actually one-sixth of the current rate, involves an average addition of n per cent. to the total cost of operation of goods vehicles and 41 per cent. to that of a passenger vehicle. These figures, for all but the smallest and largest types of machine, will serve as a basis for determining corresponding increases of rates and fares.


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