Dispute breaks out among tippermen
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• A dispute has broken out among northern tipper operators fighting to win better rates from Tarmac and other quarry owners.
One operator has claimed that another broke a promise not to work for the quarries for less than a set rate.
But the company involved. Woodhouse of Lancaster, denies this. Work it is doing for Tarmac is on a contract suitable for large fleets, says the managing director's son Malcolm Woodhouse. "This is a totally separate job," he stresses. "We haven't altered any rates — in fact some smaller hauliers quoted less than us. We were chosen because we could give a better service."
Woodhouse believes that the haulier who made the claim, but would not give his name to CM, is probably bitter. "If he has something to say, he knows where we are and he
should come and have a chat."
Many tippermen are unrealistic in their bids to have rates increased, adds Woodhouse, whose firm runs 50 trucks. He says that at a meeting in June of 100 local hauliers, he fought against an attempt to make a 15% claim.
"They had the attitude of '15 or nothing'," he says. "They were like lemmings going over a cliff. The silent majority wanted to go for a 71/2-10% rise, and we got 7.5% in the end. But we might have got nothing."
Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin, MP for West Derbyshire, is to meet another group of tippermen, the North Midlands Hauliers Association, to hear their problems, in particular a call for higher rates. The meeting is scheduled for 14 August at Callow Park, Wirksworth, for details contact: (05443) 233458.