SUPPLEMENTARY BY CHRISTMAS
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—For Some Priority Users : Advance Isssue: 200 District Fuel Offices Now Open
WHEN fuel rationing began on Monday, most goods-vehicle operators " had received their basic fuel ration. Many applications for the supplementary allowance had been received by the end of last week, and it was generally expected that consideration of these would begin this week.
Some operators, particularly in the' priority classes, may receive their supplementary allowance before Christmas. In a number of areas, operators were discouraged from applying for their supplementary ration until after the " basic " applications had been cleared.
The Minister of Transport announced last Friday that as the number of applications for supplementary rations would be Very large, the Regional Commissioners were being asked to issue as soon as possible an advance of supplementary rations to enable • operators who qualified for them to carry on while a fuller examination of applications was being made.
None of the Regional Transport Commissioners to whom The Commercial Motor spoke was able to say what the total number of applications in his area should be.
The 200 sub-district offices set up to deal with applications for supplementary rations have now been opened. .
A survey of seven of the traffic areas, made by The Commercial Motor, produced the following replies:— South Eastern: The majority of operators had applied. The number of applications coming in last week dropped "very considerably." Practically all the operators who had applied before Thursday had their basic fuel allocation by Monday.
A'substantial number of applications' for the supplementary ration had been received last week, and it was intended to begin consideration of these on Tuesday, The top priority classes would 'be dealt with first, and it was hoped that these would be completed before Christmas. It was impossible to say when the issue of the supplementary ration would he completed, because of the complicated nature of many of the applications.
Western : it was understood that most of the 35,000 expected applications for the basic ration had been received by last week-end, Applications for the supplementary ration had been discouraced while the basic issue was being dealt With, and it may be towards the end of this week, or even after Christmas,. before the supplementary allocation is considered.
North West: More than 55.000 basic rations had been issued by the weekend. Practically all Aand B-licensees had been covered. It was believed that the majority of C-licence holders had applied, but it was impossible to check.
The area's 16 sub-district offices last week began preliminary work on applications for the supplementary ration and it was hoped to deal with these as soon as possible.
A30 . Eastern: Nearly 24,000 applications for the basic ration had been dealt with by the week-end. It was thought that this constituted the great majority. Some 4,000 had to be handled last Friday. Applications for the supplementary allocations were already being considered. said an official.
West Midland: Some 50,000 applications for the basic ration had been dealt • with by the week-end, when an estimated few. thousand" operators had still to apply.The sub-district offices opened on Monday, when consideration of applications for the supplementary allowance began."A few operators may well get their supplementary ration before Christmas," a spokesman said.
Yorkshire and East Midland: It was estimated that the majority of operators had applied for the basic ration by the week-end. The issue of the supplementary allowance was expected to begin this week.
B.M.M.O. GRANTED TEMPORARY INCREASES
THE West and East Midland Traffic Commissioners have granted, on a temporary basis, the' application for higher fares made to them last week by the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd. (The Commercial Motor last week).
In a statement, the West Midland Commissioners said the iru:reases were approved temporarily so that, if necessary, they could be reviewed in the light of cha.nged circumstances in traffic likely to arise from the fuel situation.
The application was made before the cost of fuel was raised, IRISH FERRY AGAIN SOON
THE Preston—Larne ferry of the Atlantic Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., may start again early in the New Year. The five landing craft used on this service were requisitioned for the Egyptian invasion, but two are now on their way back to this country. After overhaul it is hoped to have them operating within a few weeks.
Other craft are also being released, being replaced by vessels from the "mothball" fleet, and these will be used to reinstate the Preston--Larne facility and that between Tilbury and Antwerp.