News of the Week
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
DEPUTATION ON VEHICLE DIMENSIONS
-rHE S.M.M.T. and operators made a 1 concerted effort on Monday last to obtain ' certain concessions regarding vehicle dimensions', particularly in respect of maximum width.
It took the form of a deputation to the authorities concerned. It appears, however, that no great hope was held out to the members that any concession would be made. It is believed that the industry will not be content' to let matters 'remain as they are and that further, steps will be taken.'
We know full well how difficult it is to move a Government Department far from any course which it has decided to adopt, but the strength of our industry and its connections are such that success may finally be achieved, although it will require the strongest action, GOVERNMENT SHOULD PUBLISH ITS ROAD PLANS
A DDRESSING members of the Nottingham Rotary Club, Captain M. Clark-Hall, assistant secretary of the B.R.F., said that unless the Government publishes immediately its,pla.ns for road reconstruction after the war, every branch of trade and industry will be severely handicapped.
The B.R.F. knows that the Government has the facts in its possesSion, and the refusal to publish them can mean only one of two things—either it is determined to impose a secret policy upon the country without consulting the interested sections of the community, or it is reluctant to lay open to public criticism a policy which it knows to be inadequate to meet the needs of the country in the post-war years.
COACH OPERATORS IN THE WEST GET TOGETHER
ANimportant step towards unity and co-operation was taken when, at a meeting of coach proprietors held at the Town Hall, Weston-super,Mare, en Friday of last week, everyone present agreed to become a member_ of the new Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association, Mr. G. J. Jones, of Messrs. Morning Star Motors, Bristol, and chairman of the area committee, presided, and was supported by other members of that committee. In his opening remarks, Mr. Jones explained that the chief purpose for calling the meeting in Weston-super-Mare was to explain to local coach proprietors what the Association was doing, and to learn of the difficulties or grievances which thdy were likely to encounter when tours were again resumed, The area secretary, Mr. Arthur G. Akers, said that the Association was a democratic body and that area offices had been established throughout the country. He pointed out many of the problems which would have to be faced, amongst the most important being the preservation of individual enterprise, Mr: S. G. Bellamy, of the Clifton Greys, Bristol, and a member of the area committee, outlined the action taken by the committee regarding the question of fares to be charged in the post-war period, and hoped that when the schedule was submitted to the Ministry it would be acceptable to both the operators and the public.
At the conclusion of the meeting it was unanimously agreed to form a subarea in Weston-super-Mare, which would include Burnham, and the following were elected .-to serve on the committee : —Messrs. A. E. Burnell, D. Carter, D. S. Dallas, A. E. Harse, T. J. Headington, L. Slater, W. E. Williams, and J. N. Baker.
BIG PLANS FOR TRAM SUBSTITUTION AT MANCHESTER 1% ANCHESTER Transport Depart
ment plans, before the end of the year, to substitute trams by buses and trolleybuses on the remaining routes operated by the undertaking. The change-over was postPoned due to the war and 300 trams are stillin use. The undertaking expects, befOre -the year ends, , to take delivery of 71 Crossley buses, but a further 43 Daimler buses and. 41 trolleybuses, which have yet to be sanctioned, will be required to complete the full changeover.
CO-OPERATIVE GROUP SET UP IN BRADFORD
FOR the operation of a Bradford and district co-operative road-haulage group, with which concerns representing an aggregate of about 150 vehicles are associated, a private limited company has been registered under the title Associated Hauliers (Bradford), Ltd., with a nominal capital of 02,000, 'and registered offices at 5 and 6, Eldon Place, Bradford. The chairman is Mr. Harry Woodhead, of Messrs. J. Wpoahead and Sons, Queensbury. With .him on the directorate of the company are the following :— Mr. A. R. crow, of George Crow and San,. Ltd., BracHord; Mr. Arthur Batty, of Arthur Batty, Ltd., Bradford; Mr. G. W. Greenwood, of Redfern and Greenwood, Ltd, Bradford; Mr. A. Harrison, of Harrison, Page, Ltd., Shipley; Mr. F. Fordwr. of W. C. Forder and. Soot, Ltd Itingley; MT. J. Bell, of Messrs. Bell's Till [IFNI'. San-teos, Bradford; Mr. W. Feather, DI Fred Feather and, Sots, Ltd., Bradford; and MT. J. Wallis. of A. Wallis and Son (Transport), Ltd, Barsta 11.
HAULAGE RATES REDUCED BY TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER
IN most cases of complaints which have been made to R.T.C.s concerning what are alleged to be excessive rates for haulage, the aggrieved patties have not succeeded in having them reduced. There is now, however, an exception, which is the result of an appeal under the Road Haulage and Hire (Charges) Order, 1942, made by Philip A, Godfrey and Co., of Wisheeli, for the revision of (a) the amount of £10 charged on several occasions by H. W. Jones (Haulage), Ltd., of the same town, for the conveyance of empty carboys from Wisbech to Silvertown, returning with full carboys, and (b) the amounts of £11 14s. and £13 10s. charged on other occasions for the conveyance of similar goods between Wis. bech and Leeds.
The inquiry was held on April 6, and sitting with Sir A. H. Faulkner, R.T.C., were two assessors selected from the Hauliers' and Traders' Panel—Messrs. G. W. Irwin and H. C. Chandler, Two of the charges against whici appeals were lodged were out of date, and there was some doubt about the third. It was, therefore, agreed that the fourthshould be taken for the purposes of assessment and that any decision reached on this should apply to tin remainder, including, at the discretior of the R.T.C., the charge raised on tin third invoice.
It was submitted for the respondeni that the rates quoted were uneconomic and that the £10 and £13 were, in tilt circumstances, reasonable. However this submission was not accepted in full and although it was not considered thr.,. the respondent's charges could in deemed to be other than fair, judged the latter's standards, the assessor, were bound by the -terms of the Orde to consider what would have been rea sonable in Ottober, 1940.
The conclusion was therefore reachec that, assessed as required by the Order a fair rate for the journeys to and fron Silvertown is £8 12s. 6d. return, am for those to and from Leeds £10 15s, these findings also applying to the thin invoice. The appropriate Wills Won therefore substituted for the charge made.
LEYLAND MOTORS OPENS SALES OFFICES
IN view of the importance, in the early part of the war, of employing everyone possible on direct war work, Leyland Motors, Ltd., Leyland, Lanes, closed many of cis. sales offices, and brought their personnel into the factory. Recently, it has been found possible to release some of the sales staff from the factory and permit them to take up their legitimate work again.
In this connection two sales offices have recently been opened—at Manchester and at Belfast. The company's Manchester office is in charge of Mr. C. W. Brown, and is located at 30, St. Ann Street, whilst the office at Belfast is at 11, Adelaide Street, and is in charge of the company's own reptesentative, Mr. S. J. Munn.
CHELTENHAM AND GLOUCESTER I.T.A. APPOINTS OFFICERS
I AST week the annual meeting of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Branch of the Industrial Transport Association was held in Cheltenham, when the following officers were elected to serve for the forthcoming year:—Chairman, Mr. R. L. Dance; vice-chairman, Mr. G. Simmons; treasurer, Mr. F. Strickland; secretary, Mr. W. E. -Messenger; Messrs. R. L. Dance and W. E. Messenger are also council meMbers.
It is proposed to hold the monthly meetings alternately at Gloucester and Cheltenham from September onwards, and to endeavour to arrange business outings during 'the summer period.
DISTINCTION FOR FODENS WORKS BAND CODENS MOTOR WORKS BAND,.
through ENSA and by permission of the Ministry of Labour, has been booked to play to the B.L.A. for a period of three weeks, commencing May I. It has won on eight occasions the 1,000-guinea Crystal Palace Trophy, also the Blue Riband Belle Vue Brass Ba,nd Championship on a similar number of occasions, and has Won over £32,000 in prizes, cash and trophies.
With the exception of Harry Mortimer (principal cornet) the remaining 24 bandsmen are all crafts-nen employed at the works of Fodens. Ltd., as joiners, fitters, turners, *inters, etc.
The band will also appear at a large :oncert in Paris and in Brussels, under :he musical directorship of Mr. Fred 4fortimer.
v1ANCHESTE R'S BUS-OPERATING EXPECTATIONS
USTIMATES of the transport com
mittee of Manchester Corporation tate that the total traffic income on he undertaking for the current nunicipal year rs estimated to amount o 23,621,900, or an increase of 1124,850 compared with 1944-45. 4otorbuses show an increase of !.84,750, trolley-buses an increase of 110.400, and tramways an increaSe I £29,700. The total expenditure for 945-46 is estimated at 23,576,500.
Qn revenue account motorbuses and rolleybuses show anticipated surpluses of 2282,400 and 2179,600 respectively, whilst tramways are expected to reveal a deficiency of £12,100. The parcels department shows a net deficiency of 29,000, which is 23,000 more than the current year.
A "RED AND WHITE" INSTRUCTION MANUAL
THE responsibilities of drivers and conductors of passenger-service vehicles to their employers and to passengers are contained in a booklet published by Red and White Services, Ltd., The Bulwark, Chepstow, Mon.
It is obvious that the reputation of a road-transport undertaking rests largely in the hands of the personnel of the company, and unless it knows what and what not to do it can scarcely be blamed if that reputation suffers as the result of its actions.
This booklet, which is most compre
hensive in character, is intended for the' study of every man and woman to whom the safeguards and rules apply. At the back end is a copy of the Highway Code, a fitting tailpiece to a most commendable publication.
WAR-TIME LEAP IN TYRE COSTS
R"LYING to a question by Mr. W. Sharp, as to the difference between the present cost of tyres and that of pre-war days, at a meeting of Nottingham City Council, Mr. G. W. Plackett., chairman of. the transport comniittec, said that the cost during the year before the outbreak of war was £8,224, whereas during the current year it would be £94,302.
BIG L.P.T.B. ENTRY FOR SAFE DRIVING COMPETITION
iN all, 3,626 London Transport trolley1 bus and tram drivers and 2,293 country bus drivers have entered the National''! Safe Driving" competitiOn for 1945. In the 1944 competition, 2,840 trolleybus and tram drivers gained awards. . .A driver at Wood Green depot, who has -not been involved in an accident for 27 years, received. a bronze badge, the highest -award, and 59 drivers, who won major' awards, have not had a driving' accident for over. 20 years.
HIRED OPERATORS CLAIM AGAINST MINISTRY ri.iums are •being made against the M.O.W.T. by the Northwestern Regional Hired Operators for payments for casual labour and of the wages of second men carried on large vehicles.
Mr. T. Nelson reported to the Regional Committee the position At Liverpool and the difficulties which had arisen and which still existed. The Ministry apparently considered that many of the charges for casual labour were not justified, but, on the other hand, it would not approve and pay for two men on a vehicle. It was pointed out that under the local wages agreement it had always been the practice to have two men on any vehicle of over 4-tons carrying capacity and the dockers refused to load a vehicle unless it had, in fact, a crew of two.
The regional committee reached the conclusion that it could not add anything to Mr. 'Nelson's comprehensive report and thought that a reply from Ministry headquarters would be forthcoming shortly when, if necessary, the -committee could consider the matter further.
MIDLAND " RED " RESULTS IN 1944 IN 1944, net traffic and other receipts of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., amounted to £1,704,373, compared with 21,617,793 in the previous year. The net profit was £322,674, as against £334,347. The preference dividend absorbs 28,000, and a final dividend of 5 per cent, on the ordinary shares, plus a bonus of 5 per cent., makes 15 per cent, for the year. An allocation of 270,000 is made to general reserve, the amount carried forward being 2202,729 contrasted with the sum of Z174,055 brought in. MOTORWAYS INTENTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT •
THE Parliamentary Secretary of the M.O.W.T., Mr. P. J. isToel-Baker, was recently asked by Mr. WoottonDavies whether the proposals for the system of motorways in the north, is intended to be a permanent feature 01 a 'final road plan.
In his written reply, Mr. Noel-Baker said that the Government intends to' construct suitable lengths of motorway if Parliament grants it the necessary powers. These, he said, will form part of a general long-term plan.
T.R.T.A. OFFICIALS TO TALK TO YORKSHIRE C-LICENSEES rONVENED by the Yorkshire Area • of the Traders' Road Transport Association, a mass meeting of C.,licensees will be held on Thursday next, May 3, at the Hotel Metropole, Leeds, at 7.30 p.m. The chief speakers will he Colonel Arthur jerrett (chairman of the T.R.T.A.'s National Council) and Mr. Frederick G. Bristow (secretary of the T.R.T.A: and national director of the National Road Transport Federation).
A FODEN SERVICE AGENT APPOINTMENT
WE are advised that Bristol Industries, Ltd., Motor Sales and Service Department, Feeder Road, Bristol, 2, has been appointed Foden service agent and repairer for Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somersetshire. Special premises have 'been laid out and equipped at this address, which is open day and night.
WEST HARTLEPOOL DRIVERS WIN AWARDS
DTIRING 1944, 36 drivers employed by West Hartlepool Transport Department, 'qualified for awards under the freedom from accident competition arranged by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Three drivers received a bar to the IS years' brooch.