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Service is the Thing

17th November 1961
Page 33
Page 33, 17th November 1961 — Service is the Thing
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

THE managing director of a company running a nationwide C-licensed transport service who, as reported recently, said he wished the railways would take all his trunk transport worries away from him, expressed an understandable concern to distribute his wares as easily and cheaply as possible. It is a concern, however, that frequently makes life much more difficult for C-licence transport managers. The railways play on it; particularly when, as this gentleman did, the C licensee becomes slightly apologetic about his vehicles "cluttering up the roads."

'He also said: "We do not want to be over-bothered with transport. Transport is not our business." But it is his business. Circumstances have forced him to move from an all-rail transport system in 1948 to a system where only five per cent. now goes by rail. Ninety per cent. of his products are carried by road, 70 per cent, in his own vehicles. Wistful he may be for the old Great Western Railway, but practicality has dictated the use of road transport—mainly owned by himself. This changed national pattern, because it involves him; is his concern.

This is a time of life or death for the railways. It is to their advantage that as many potential customers as possible think along the same lines as this C licensee, but is it also to the advantage of the customer?

The signals are now about to be set for the railways to steam ahead (if they will pardon an old-fashioned cliché), with their burden of debt removed, with full freedom as to charges, and with no yoke of obligation• to act as a common carrier. No doubt, under the leadership of Dr. Richard Beeching, they will become a much more competitive and virile force than they have been in the post-war past—and one obvious main line of attack is on the traffic which goes by C-licensed road transport.

It seems we are to have a " co-ordinated " transport system. To Mr. John Hay, the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Mr. Marples, it means letting the user choose the type of transport which suits him best—he has said so in public. To Dr. Beeching, when he addressed the Institute of Transport in London last week, it meant "the use of each of the various forms of transport to do those things which it can do best—best in terms of quality, service and cost." They are two considerably different interpretations of the word "co-ordination," and it is significant that Dr. Beeching interprets it to mean selection FOR the user, not BY the user.

Dr. Beeching knows what he wants. The C licensee who is not sure what he wants is placing himself in the position of the lady who rode on a tiger--she finished up inside! Fortunately, most C licensees are sure of their views on transport. The Federation of British Industries last year told the Stedeford Committee, on whose findings the Government's White Paper (which resulted in the new Transport Bill) was based: "Any attempt to restrict the freedom of the C-licence holders will meet with most serious opposition."

The main consideration is service. What can the railways offer? Here are some comments recently made by a member of the railways' research department. Organization: "Doubtful whether . . . at present best suited to cope with increased traffic." Technical Problems: "Many ... are so far unsuspected." Wagon Utilization: " Average .. . one loaded journey per 14 days." High-speed Traffic: "Would involve the solution of a large number of technical problems." Loadability: "Great many factors need investigation." Damage: "Many technical problems." Reliability: "Traffic will not stay . . . unless there is a considerable improvement."

They have a long way to go!


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