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Commissioner Surveys War-time Transport Organization

15th November 1940
Page 23
Page 23, 15th November 1940 — Commissioner Surveys War-time Transport Organization
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

CHOOSING as his subject "The ‘..."Organization of Transport During Defence Emergency," Sir William Chamberlain, North-western Regional Transport Commissioner, recently spoke at Oldham. Opening his address, he reviewed the work of the Traffic Commissioners from 1930 until 1938, after which the question of how road transport could best he organized for

war-time, purposes arose. The usual practice of dealing with licence applications. and objections had been suspended. Where necessary, in the national interests, he could now grant licences as readily as he could sign them. These, he stressed, were war-time permits, and did not carry the same degree of continuance as the old permits.

He pointed out that, at the beginning of 1939, the Government decided on active preparations to organize the road-transport industry for war. The passenger side was in fairly good shape, but the 'goods side was a different pro position. In the north-western area there were 650 passenger-vehicle operators with 17,000 vehicles, but there were 5,000 goods operators with 65,000 vehicles and they were by no means engaged in the same class of work.

In the 'early part of 1939, steps were taken to organize them into groups and, in the efforts to combine them voluntarily in this way, three-quarters of them responded satisfactorily. As the organization now stood, there was a Regional Commissioner with eight district officers, 39 sub-district managers, 1,200 group organizers and 55,000 goods vehicles, The organization was democratic, apart from the special powers vested in the Regional Transport Commissioner. The purpose of such an organization was to make sure that vehicles were used to expedite the carrying of goods to the best advantage and to simplify the petrolrationing system. He pointed out that, under this system, a considerable saving in motor fuel had been effected.

He explained how nearly 10 per cent. of the total number of vehicles were taken for whole-time or part-time war work and he stressed that, with the number of ports in the north-western area, it was not difficult to imagine the road-transport problems that arose a,t such time as a convoy of ships came to port.

When goods were unloaded, it had to be decided, according to existing circumstances, whether they should be carried by road, rail, canal or coastwise transport. He emphasized that at regional headquarters a 24-hours' service is being maintained.


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