"Alarming" Livestock Losses by B.R.
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" A LARMING decreases" in British Pi Railways' sheep traffic were mentioned at Carlisle, last week, when Claude Hughes and Co. (Carlisle), Ltd., sought another A-licence livestock vehicle to add to their existing fleet of three.
British Railways objected.
Mr. Claude Hughes told the Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, that his present vehicles were working night and day, hauling sheep from Scotland to Lancashire abattoirs. Servicing was difficult, and he was unable to satisfy his customers' needs properly.
Between 1954 and 1956 the total stock carried had risen ,from 70,650 head to 103,000. He carried sheep from as far north as Thurso to .as far south as Maidstone, Kent, and revenue for the first four months of this year was more than double that for the corresponding period three years ago, largely because Of increased sheep haulage.
For British Railways, Mr. John Liddle, Carlisle district office licensing clerk, said that forwardings of sheep from the Carlisle district had dropped from 48,000 to 7,500 in the past four years—a steady decrease since the Ministry of Food had ceased to control the transport of fatstock for abattoirs. From Carlisle city, the figures were 37,000 in 1954 and 4,800 in 1956; there was an alarming decrease from Appleby; no sheep at all since 1955 from Kirkby Stephen; and a drop from 10,000 to nil from Lazonby and Southwaite.
Mr. Liddle claimed that hauliers had obtained traffic from the railways by offering cheaper rates, not by giving customers a better service. Mr. Hanlon reserved his decision.