Oswald Transport Did Not Wish to Mislead, Mr. James Told
Page 44
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WHEN Oswald Transport, Ltd., were called before Mr. W. P. James, West Midland Licensing Authority, at Hanley last Friday, to explain why they had changed their base without his sanction, Mr, J, A. Dunkerley, for the company, submitted that there had never been any intention to mislead him. Although the company had decided to transfer from Wolverhampton to Talke, in the Potteries, in 1957, various financial difficulties regarding the acquisition of the property at Talke had arisen, and for many months the company had been only tenants, not becoming the real owners until last June.
Oswald Transport had decided not to surrender the licence granted in August, 1956, for two vehicles based at Wolverhampton until they had become the true owners of the property at Talke. Delays 'in the purchase of this property had been completely unexpected.
Mr. Dunkerley added that although there had been a change of base, there had been no alteration in the vehicles' work. When it came to the notice of the Authority that there had been a change of base, the company were informed that they should make the appropriate application.
This, however, had not been done. Mr. Dunkerley apologized on behalf of his clients, saying that they had acted partly from ignorance. The change, however, had affected nobody and no harm had been done.
Mr. W. A. McClelland, a director of Oswald Transport, said that when they received the advice from the Authority in 1957 concerning a new application, they had not realized that there was any urgency, and thought that this could be done when the purchase of the premises at Talke was completed.
Mr. fl Macoustra, secretary of the .company, said that about 5 per cent. of the traffic that they carried came from customers in the Potteries. Occasionally there had been requests from potential customers: these had been rejected.
Decision Reserved
Mr. James reserved his decision.
Oswald Transport also applied for an A licence for six vehicles with a normal user covering steel, electrical equipment, building materials and various other goods within an area extending from Scotland to South Wales and the Midlands.
It was stated that if this were granted, a special A licence for four vehicles would be surrendered and two vehicles under public A licence and based at Wigan would be given up. Mr. Dunkerley explained that the company wished to remove their bases at Wigan and Wolverhampton to Talke, although this would be bound to arouse suspicion in the minds of operators in the Potteries. He claimed, however, that there was no danger that Oswald Transport would be highly competitive.
Mr. Macoustra, questioned by Mr. G. H. P. Beames, for the British Transport Commission, who objected, said that the head office of the company was in Ayr, and that they were really trunk hauliers operating between Scotland and England, Mr. Beames produced an advertising circular which had been sent to many organizations in the Potteries, and which, he said, was obviously a means for
gaining more traffic.
The witness could give no assurance that the traffic would remain the same if the vehicles were transferred to Talke. However, the vehicles which had been operating from there since 1957 had shown no change in the nature of the traffic they handled, Mr. Beames: "But you have been operating from Talke for two years without authorization."
Vehicles were being moved out of the centres of two Traffic Areas and into the centre of another just because the applicants thought it would be more convenient. What would happen, Mr. Beames asked, to undertakings in Wigan and Wolverhampton who required transport and for whose convenience the licence was originally granted?
Mr. G. C. Tinsdill, on behalf of Beresford \ Transport, Ltd., and Messrs, G. H. Nixon, other objectors, submitted that the applicants refused to carry special traffic which they could not handle, but would accept anything else, The case is to be continued on October 16.
OBITUARY
WE regret to record the death of MR. SYDNEY ARTHUR CRAWLEY. Mr. Crawley was managing director of the Bedfordshire Autocar Co., Ltd., an organization which he founded in 1919. He was 65.