Seven-vehicle S witch Granted
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"A GOOD case," said Mr. D. I. R. Muir, the Metropolitan Licensing Authority, when granting a seven-vehicle contract switch to B licence to G. Morris Haulage (Chingford),,Ltd., of Lea Valley Road, E.4, and added: "It is quite clear that the change will produce more economical running."
. Mr. G. F. Morris, a director of the company, said that it was formed in April of last year but prior to that the vehicles had been operated under his own name. Three vehicles were on contract to George M. Smith (T. and M.), Ltd., two for Lesty Hardwoods, Ltd., and two with Continental Hardwoods, Ltd. Because all three concerns dealt in the same material, timber and plywood, and it was often collected from the same docks and, in about a third of the cases, went to the same customers it frequently resulted in two vehicles doing the work that could be done by one.
If this was so, said Mr. R. C. Oswald, for the B.T.C., it would surely result in idle vehicles. Mr. Morris denied that possibility and said maintenance was now having to be done at night and during the week-ends. It was costing between 415 and £20 a week for maintenance overtime. No vehicles could be used under the provisions for temporary sub stitution for overhaul or accident purposes because the company's entire fleet was on contract.
Three witnesses from the contract companies supported the application, one also speaking for another concern which wished to be included in the arrangements.
Mr. Oswald said that the B.T.C. was not contesting the application with the same force that it would if an A licence had been sought. He contended that the use of the contract vehicles as shown by the earning revealed very moderate use and that the interavailability resulting from a grant would create idle time. He suggested five vehicles as being more appropriate.
Mr. James Arnphlett, for the applicants, said that the B.T.C. wanted it both • ways. First they suggested to witnesses that they would be losing the exclusive use of the contract vehicles and then wanted the total number of vehicles to be less than before.
The Licensing Authority said that he was not at all sure that in such cases the ordinary arithmetical tests could be applied and even if they were, although the figures were not high they were not distressingly low. He thought it right that better maintenance should result and, therefore, the full application would be granted.
One of the seven vehicles was also conditioned to provide maintenance relief for the applicant company's contract with another customer who was not included in the new operational plans. The vehicles are conditioned to carry for the four named customers within 300 miles and Scotland.
CONTAINERS TO MILAN
AS a prelude to extended Continental working, the Carborundum Co., Ltd., Manchester, last week inaugurated a container service to Milan, carrying abrasive products. Each week, two 10-ton containers will be dispatched.
The containers are moved to Tilbury by the company's own C-licensed vehicles, and are thereafter transported by a shipping agent.