Bradford Municipal Rates Again in the Limelight .
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COMPLA1N1NG that the increases ‘.../which Bradford Corporation has granted in its rates .of payment for hired haulage are inadequate, the Bradford Horse and Motor Owners' Asiociation and the Transport Section of the Bradford and District Chamber of Trade both decided at recent meetings to send protests to the• corporation.
When the Transport Section. met last week it was decided to call a special meeting of all interested operators, so that future policy in the -matter may he considered by a more representative attendance. It was hinted that one step which operators might take to obtain better terms was the withdrawal of their vehicles from municipal work in Bradford, but a larger meeting was necessary for such a decision.
As we have previously reported, the operators' requested that the hiring rate for 30-cwt. vehicles be increased by Is. an hour, bringing it to 5s. 3d., and that the rate for 2-tonners be raised by Is. dd. per hour to 6s. Instead, the corporation granted increases of 3d. per hour for 30-cwt. vehicles, and 6d. for 2-tonners.
Discussion at the Transport Section's meeting chiefly centred on the new haulage rates. Strong criticisms were voiced, and it was remarked that the increase of 3d. per hour for' 30-cwt. vehicles had already been absorbed by increases in wages.
The chairman of one corporation, committee hiring motor haulage was reported td have said that if dissatisfied operators withdrew their vehicles they could easily be replaced, as there was a waiting list of owner-drivers ready to take over the work. Under present conditions, however, it was felt that the demand forSroad transport and the limited supply of vehicles was such that the corporation could not easily obtain fresh hired transport.
It was also complained that operators had not been treated fairly, in that the increases had not been made retrospective to May last, when the operators applied for a rise in rates. They were being penalized in that the increasesdated from July 22, when they were finally approved by the city council.