Political Commentary By JANUS
Page 69
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Rule Forty-two
"I ivish you wouldn't squeeze so," said the Dormouse, who was sitting next to her. I can hardly breathe." "1 can't help it," said Alice very meekly. "I'm growing." "You've no right to grow here," said the Dormouse, "Don't talk nonsense," Said 'Alice more boldly, "you know you're growing too."
"Yes, but I grow at a reasonable pace," said the Dormouse, " not in that ridiculous fashion."
pUBLICATION by the Economic Commission for Europe of the annual bulletin of transport statistics for 1953 is a reminder that in 'other countries, as well as the United Kingdom, a large proportion of the number of goods vehicles consists of those operated by
traders for the carriage of their own traffic. The proportion of 85 per cent. for the United Kingdom compares with 91 per cent. in Belgium, 83 per cent. in Norway, 81 per cent. in Western Germany. 77 per cent. in Italy, and 66.per cent. in the Netherlands.
These figures should help the C-licence holders, many of whom feel, with justification, that the threat to their freedom is as dangerous as ever. Disposal is the main target of the Socialists at the present time, but when the subject conies up for debate they seldom fail to take a sly kick at the C-licence holder, who, according to their mythology, deliberately thwarted the success of the Transport Act, 1947, and must be firmly tied down before they set out to renationalize road haulage.
The increase in the number of C-licensed vehicles between 1946 and 1951 certainlytlooked phenomenal. At one time, the rate was over 160,000 per annum, or one new vehicle every five minutes of the day and night throughout the year. The representatives of trade and industry, when they attempted to explain the increase away. felt very much like Alice, whose unconscionable rate of growth stirred the drowsy Dormouse to protest, and attracted the attention and censure of the judge, even when he was conducting the trial of somebody else.
Rise in Traffic The increase was rapid, but not beyond what might have been expected. Even in 1947 three out of every four goods vehicles were operating under a C licence, and it is not unreasonable that the proportion should have risen to 85 per cent. in the following six years. The annual increase has lately settled down to about 33,000, or between 3-4 per cent. From the end of 1948 to the end of 1953 the total rose by approximately 120,000, or 16 per cent, This is, in fact, much less than the increase in the index of industrial production, which stood at 121 in 1953, as against the figure of 100 for
1948. A rise in production should presumably be matched by a rise in the volume of traffic to be carried, and this again should be reflected in the size of the country's fleet of vehicles.
11 the political fog lifted, an interesting survey might be made of the development of C-licence operation over the last five years. Some aspects of the figures published quarterly by the Ministry of Transport might repay study and provide a useful commentary on such subjects as industrial changes and vehicle trends.
For example, although the total number of C-licensed vehicles increased by 227,472, or 34 per cent., the various categories did not increase at the same rate. Vehicles with an unladen weight exceeding 3 tons practically doubled in the five years, and those weighing up to 11 tons increased by 40 per cent. Vehicles between 24-3 tons went up by 58 per cent., whereas the increase was only 6 per cent, for vehicles between 11-21 tons.
Orte curious point is that variations in the total number of vehicles bear no close relation to variations in the number of operators.
Increases in the total of C-licensed vehicles and operators each year from 1950 to 1954 inclusive were:
According to the Ministry's figures, in the last quarter of 1954 there were more new C-licence holders (7,425) than there were new Cllicensed vehicles (7,378).
The Ministry's figures are, of course,.only as accurate as operators allow them to be. In their reports for 1952-53 the Licensing Authorities complain of the widespread failure on the part of C-licence holder's 1.o give notice of the disposal of vehicles aS required by the RegulationsIn that year .there were numerous. cases where C licences lapsed at• the end of the five-year currency period and were not renewed.
Attempt to Sabotage it would be easy for the Socialists, if they wished, to take the C-licence figures and distort or manipulate them to suit their own purposes. The growing preponderance of large vehicles could be shown as a threat t6 longdistance road haulage, and in particular to British Road Services. The general rapid rise Up to 1951_ and the much Slower rate of increase since, could be taken as a deliberate attemPt to sabotage nationalization.
A survey carried out in 1952 indicates how different is the distribution of traffic between the C-licence holder . and B.R.S,, even when only vehicles with. an unladen weight of over 3 tons are taken into account. One-fifth of the C-licence traffic consisted of building and constructional materials, which constituted only 61 per cent. of the traffic carried by B.R.S. Food and agricultural produce accounted for a further 20 per cent. of the C-licence total and 10 per cent. of the B.R.S. total. B.R.S. carried practically no timber, whereas 61 per cent. of the C-licensed vehicles were mainly so engaged.
It would be more sensible for the critics of the C-licence holder to examine the use than the number of his vehicles. The total is likely to continue growing. and may reach mi. in perhaps five years' time, but their operation need not interfere with the. work of other goods carriers other than provide a valuable element of competition.
If the Socialists return to power, one may hope they will have learned, while in opposition, to appreciate this point. Otherwise, when the total approaches im., it is possible that someone in authority will quote "Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court," and insist on putting it into effect, in spite of the victim's protest that it is " not a regular rule: you invented it just now."