I. of T. President Defends C-licensees
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Reasons Why the Number of Ancillary Users' Vehicles is Increasing
A-CONVINCING defence of the trader's right to carry his own goods in his own vehicles was made by Mr. David R. Lamb, in his presidential address to the Institute of Transport in London, on Monday.
" It is frequently suggested that traders use their own vehicles far the most economical traffic and hand over odd or awkward items to public transport," he said. "If that be true it is to be assumed that the rates charged are sufficient to reimburse the public carrier. It is obvious, however, that a business of any size will require to use both private and public transport, and there is no reason to suppose that such action is uneconomic from the national gtandpoint.
" The trader himself must be the best judge of the type of transport needed for his particular goods. He knows the nature of his commodities and the sort of treatment they require in transit. In fact, in his constant pursuit of competitive business, experience has taught him that, besides transport costs, time and suitability are two essential factors in his use of transport."
Judgment in Isolation
As if to refute the allegation sometimes made that C-licensees are trying to wreck the State transport system, Mr. Lamb declared: "Some people argue that complete freedom of operation for the C-licensees must deprive the Commission of a large volume of remunerative traffic, to the disadvantage of the public service. But should the public transport service be judged in isolation? Surely the interests of the community require that trade and industry should produce goods at telling prices which will attract the world's markets.
"If public transport services can provide suitable facilities at competitive prices the sensible trader will use these services whether they be State or privately owned. If, however, the trader can operate his own transport at a lower cost, or secure a service otherwise unobtainable by so doing. he will continue to employ this method.
"It must not be forgotten that, in comparison with the public carrier, the trader suffers the disadvantage of being able to carry only his own goods and of frequently incurring empty ,return journeys, a fact which must necessarily
reduce the margin between his costs and
the price of public transport." 4
After pointing out that traders must not usurp the privilege of using their own vehicles, Mr. Lamb explained in these words the reasons why the number of C-licence vehicles has risen so sharply since the war:
"First, there is the considerable leeway resulting from the war. Then there is the remarkable increase in, industrial production with its heavier demands on transport, and particularly inter-works transport. Decentralization of certain industries has caused an increased flow of inter-factory traffic in processed and semi-processed goods. In view of the nature of the goods and the need for controlling—and sometimes expediting—their flow to suit factory labour requirements and processes, the C-licence vehicle for such work becomes essential.
Then again, enhanced agricultural production has involved an increase in farm transport, and particularly in the carriage of fertilizers; and such social amenities as the school meals service and the issue of milk to schoolchildren entail the use of additional vehicles in the C-licence category.
The resumption of retailers' delivery services, suspended during the war, has meant many more vehicles, and the vehicle supply position is so uncertain that many vehicles which would otherwise have been scrapped are being kept for use in emergency. Moreover, many firms, viable to obtain early delivery of cars, are supplying their travellers with light vans.
Not Too Many C-Vehicles
It is probable that the total of C-licensed vehicles in service to-day is no greater than it would have been had the pre-war annual increase continued throughout the war years. The cOntinued substitution of motor for horsedrawn vehicles must account for a large increase of C-licensed vehicles and so must the shortage of manpower. Moreover, the shortage of labour has accentuated the need for replacing hand prams, used to distribute bread and milk, by modern electric vt hides.
"The distribution of coal, too, calls for a greater use of vehicles because, under the present system of allocation, it is impossible to stock up for the winter; so, in a number of cases, instead of full loads being delivered, part loads only are available. .
"But, apart from these considerations, the C-licence vehicle relieves the public transport system of work that is specialized and detailed and of a nature which public transport would, find difficult to fit into its general service operations; presumably it would not wish to be cluttered up with a multiplicity of highly individualistic jobs."
Earlier in his paper, Mr. Lamb stressed the obligation of the British Transport Commission to have regard to the public interest, "even though that may not always be to its immediate advantage from a revenue point of view." He emphasized that "services, in themselves =remunerative, may be needed for the development of new industries, satellite towns or sparsely populated areas. Charges schedules must, in principle, be designed to confer equal benefit on all classes of the community.
"Certain types of transit, involving long and unnecessary hauls, remunerative to the transport undertaking but wasteful to the community, may have to be discouraged," Mr. Lamb added.
B.T.C. Should be Helped
He pointed out that the Commission was entitled to reasonable assistance in meeting its obligations to the community, and that the highways should afford safe and uninterrupted passage to traffic. In particular, congestion around some of the London markets should be overcome. They had exceeded their original physical limits and trade purposes, and a thorough investigation should be made into the system of marketing fruit and vegetables in London and the provincial cities.
"The problem should be tackled immediately in London," said Mr. Lamb, who suggested that the first step should be to ascertain whether' better use could be made of existing markets by a reallocation of business, so that each might specialize in the particular function that it was best fitted to perform. The Ministries of Food and Transport might jointly initiate the inquiry.