B.R.S. Fails To Meet Users' Needs
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CAILURE by British Road Services to provide a service to meet traffic requirements was criticized in a paper.
The Function of an Industrial Transport Department," read by Mr. D. G. J. MacDonald. A.M.Inst.T., personal assistant to the transport manager. Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., Witton, at a recent meeting of the graduate and student society of the Institute of Transport (Midland Section), in Birmingham.
During the discussion, ' Mr. MacDonald said that many manufacturers were concerned about delays to urgent shipping traffics, which, because of their nature, could not be dispatched until the day before the steamer sailing date. B.R.S. often requested more time in which to effect delivery.
An "express" service had always been given by free hauliers. Transport arrangements were frequently changed by the Road Haulage Executive with out notification. In many instances, these showed complete lack of appreciation of important production factors.
Free Hauliers Meet Emergencies • Asked for a direct comparison of B.R.S. with the service that was offered by former private-enterprise hauliers, Mr. MacDonald stated that the latter responded more readily to emergency requests for the delivery of urgently needed loads. Deliveries to out-of-theway places could he entrusted with greater confidence to B.R.S.
Expressing a personal view. Mr. MacDonald said that he bad been against nationalization, but that lie did not think denationalization was now feasible or wise. The Government should attempt to increase the efficiency of road transport. permits should be granted more freely to private hauliers and all B.R.S. fleet increases should be the subject of applications to the appropriate Licensing Authority.
. When referring in the paper to the use of C-licence vehicles. Mr. MacDonald stated that it was sometimes expedient to place service before economic operation; late delivery could imperil goodwill between the trader and his customers. The more valuable the load of a given weight, the less was the relative importance of transport costs.
The creation of a distribution department which would incorporate part of the sales and transport departments was advocated by Mr. MacDonald, in reply to a question. In this way, friction between the departments could be eliminated and greater efficiency achieved, MACKS FOR SNOW CLEARANCE NAACK type N.M. heavy artillery AY1 tractors may be used on the roads for snow clearance or the distribution of grit or salt on frosted, ice-bound or snow-bound roads. An Order to [his effect was put into operation by the Minister of Transport on Monday. The Order is The Motor Vehicles (Authorization of Special Types) (No. 2) Order, 1951.
WORKMEN'S FARES TO STAY • IT has been decided by Newcastle-on1. Tyne City Council to drop a clause in its proposed Parliamentary Bill seeking to abolish workmen's fares. The Bill seeks powers to operate trolleybuses on more routes and to carry out other plans.
REGISTRATIONS UP
NEW registrations for September included no fewer than 2,234.in the Government owned exempt vehicle class. Of these, 1,480 were " goods" and 49 "cars, etc." There were 625 fewer "agricultural tractors (Et class)." but the overall figures for the month were up by over 1,000 as compared
with those for August. Details are given below.