Minority Affected Regarding road haulage proposals, there were at present
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19,000 A-licence holders with 86,000 vehicles, 27,000 B-licence holders with 53,000 vehicles and 149,000 C-licence holders with 306,000 vehicles.
Under the compulsory acquisition terms of the Bill, some 2,000 to 2,500 undertakings would be brought in, with approximately 20,000 vehicles. With the railways' vehicles some 30,000 to 35,000 would come under the measure.
Mr. Barnes said that road haulage bad been the most controversial problem in rail and road matters before the war. It had proved to be a difficult, cotnplex and controversial matter in connection with the preparation of the Bill.
After commenting that the rapid extension of road transport had raised many problems in this country, and that it was not always appreciated that the road haulier enjoyed, to some extent, a monopoly right, Mr. Barnes said that, under the A and B-licence system, no new person could enter the industry unless he proved need. If existing services were sufficient, citizens were denied their rights to run lorries on the road for reward.
The limit to be placed on road hauliers was a mileage of 40, and any road haulier whose business was predominantly over the 40-mile radius would be brought within the compulsory terms of the Bill.
Speaking of road passenger services, Mr. Barnes continued: "These are not provided for immediately in the Bill. The procedure is for the Commissioners to frame schemes for areas after consultation with the local authorities in their areas. But it is the intention that, ultimately, these shall be brought into a nationally Integrated transport service. Assets and liabilities of the undertakings may be transferred to the body set up under the scheme, and if the objections are not finally disposed of, this scheme will become subject to special Parliamentary procedure."
Dealing with transport charges. Mr. Barnes said that he understood that something like 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 different rates prevailed at the present time. "I had endeavoured to get a clear simplified machinery running through this Bill to deal with charges, and it would be one of the Bill's greatest benefits if we can simplify the charges of the railway and transport industry," he declared.
Answering a complaint from the Opposition front bench that road hauliers were not getting adequate compensation, Mr. Barnes said: "The road haulage undertakings are getting the cost of the replacement of their vehicles and replacement cost is a very fair basis of compensation.