Demand for Hay's Wharf Inquiry
Page 33
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SPEAKING at a sub-area meeting of the Road Haulage Association in Stratford-on-Avon, last week. Mr. Harry Bedworth accused the British Transport Commission of exploiting the Government's influence in the affairs of Hay's Wharf Cartage Co., Ltd., to extend its excluded-traffic business. :Referring to the recent Hay's Wharf applications in the West Midland Area, he said that the case pointed the value of a united front by independent hauliers in fighting the encroachments of the B.T.C. . Mr. Bedworth is secretary of Birmingham Road Haulage, Ltd.. the Birmingham independent group. and was appealing to members of the sub-area to take shares in South Warwickshire Independent Road Transport, Ltd., the newly formed local group.
Earlier in the evening, Mr. J. Morley, area organizer of the R.H.A. in the West Midlands, had quoted statements by speakers at the Association's West Midland Area meeting in Stoke-on-Trent the previous week, warning members of the inferences to be drawn from the Hay's Wharf case. Mr. Venn, the Coventry delegate, gave an instance where a concern had been refused licences for several vehicles, but after the undertaking bad been acquired by the B.T.C., the vehicles were introduced by Hay's Wharf and Pickfords.
After a discussion the following reso
lution was moved. That the R.H.A. arranges for a question to be asked in the House of Commons as to the reasons why the 11.1.C. have not served compulsory notices of acquisition on Hay's Wharf Cartage Co., Ltd., and Pickfords, and under what circumstances acquired vehicles which have been paid for by taxpayers' money are being added to Hay's Wharf and Pick fords' licences."
Mr. Venn also instanced , . concern which, after having been taken over by the B.T.C., undertook" normal" traffic and handed over excluded traffic to Pickfords. Legal opinion was.requested as to whether an acquired undertaking Could add vehicles ad libitum for excluded traffic without applying the Licensing Authority.