THE Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, stated
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last I Friday that he was no longer prepared to grant licences for "opencast coal as required from sites in the Northern Traffic Area." Granting a B licence to Mr. G. Bambrough, Chester-le-Street, for five vehicles to carry opencast' coal for Mears Bros. (Contractors), Ltd., within 15 miles, the Authority said: "1 know from previous cases I have heard that vehicles which are authorized for opencast coal as required are not being used to their fullest extent."
Mr. F. Milton, for the applicant, told the Authority that the decision was not in the public interest. "This is an unopposed application and you have completely disregarded the provisions of Section 9 of the 1953 Act," he said. An appeal might be lodged.
Boston Stevedores Fined E330
FINES totalling 1330. with £18 17s. 6d. costs, were imposed by Hull magistrates on Boston Stevedores, Ltd., a clearing house, last week. The defendants pleaded guilty to 33 summonses-for using goods vehicles without carriers' licences.
C. J. Ellerby and Son, Ltd., Victoria Dock, Hull; who were Abed /66 with £15 15s. costs, for aiding and abetting, had no vehicles of their own. Last March, said Mr. E. Wurzel, prosecuting, Eller by's were granted hiring licences. The identity discs were passed on to Boston Stevedores, who, he alleged, illegally carried timber for Ellerby's.
Mr. Wurzel added that Boston Stevedores, Ltd., had "a formidable list of previous convictions."
CO-OP. COMMITTEE v. LABOUR PARTY
()CITE improper" is how the -.,British Co-operative Parliamentary Committee have described statements in British Transport," the Labour Party's booklet, that the empty running of Clicenced vehicles entails large-scale waste. The committee have said that the co-operative movement's ancillary transport system was "most economical."
The party have replied that they will discuss the integration of transport next year and that the committee's view has been noted. The committee have asked for special consultations.
TATTOO TRANSPORT TALKS
C0 ACH operators attended a conk-, ference at Northern Command Headquarters at York last week to discuss transport arrangements for the 1955 Northern Command Tattoo, which will be held at York from July 22August 1.
The following companies were represented: West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., East Yorkshire Motor Services, Ltd., York Pullman Bus Co., Ltd., Messrs. S. Ledgard executors, Sheffield United Tours, Ltd., Hanson's Buses, Ltd., Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., Messrs. A. Watson arid Sons, Austin Coaches, Ltd.. and W. Simpson and Co.
c6 Mr. Bambrough required a licence to carry opencast coal as required from sites in the Northern Area. He already held licences to haul coal and road and building materials, and had secured a contract for opencast coal haulage at a site to be opened out at Edmonsley.
From 10-14 vehicles would be needed each day, but because of the demands of his building customers, he would be able to allocate only a few of his existing vehicles to the new work. If there were site extensions, he would need to apply for more vehicles. To hire vehicles from other sources was becoming more difficult.
It was the practice to send. vehicles to other sites in the area to assist when there was a rush to clear output. This happened when the sites on which he worked ceased operations because of breakdowns of machinery. Mr. Milton: said that in the early post-war days. hauliers. the railways and the former Authority agreed upon a standard licence formula. As a consequence. applications were unopposed.
Position Changed
The Authority: "I am aware of that. but I consider the position has now completely changed."
Mr. P. J. Cunningham, agent for Mears Bros., said that the Edmonsley contract would last at least 18 months. He considered Mr. Bambrough's application for five vehicles "modest." When production reached its peak, 20 vehicles might be required daily.
The Authority stated that although he was not prepared to grant an open licence, he would concede immediate short-term licences if need arose for the applicant to go farther afield.
Fie is now listing for public inquiry all applications for additional vehicles, or variations of conditions, which involve opencast haulage.
Following the Bambrough case, he refused to renew the B licence of Mr. R. Stockley, of Esh Winning, so as to include opencast coal, a variation of the licences of Mr. S. Davies, of Ferryhill, to carry fromNorthern Area sites, and to grant Mr. S. Singh, of Longhirst, an additional vehicle for such work. Each of these three applicants was unopposed.