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Efficient Road Transport Depends on Small Men

31st March 1944, Page 28
31st March 1944
Page 28
Page 28, 31st March 1944 — Efficient Road Transport Depends on Small Men
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Mr. R. W. Sewill, Addressing A.R.O. ' Members at Norwich, Described Compulsory Amalgamation of Hauliers as Flying in the Face of Economic Sanity

THE smaller men engaged in the haulage side of the industry will note with particular interest the views of Mr. R. NV. Sewill, Director of A.R.O., and Chairman (Road Side) of the Road and Rail Central Conference, put forward last Saturday, at Norwich. Speaking on the post-war structure of transport generally and road transport in particular, he said he could not hope to give any guarantee, but would put before his listeners some of the problems as he saw them.

The Government Scheme, he said, is so obviously only a war-time measure that it is to be hoped that even its firmest supporters did not believe it to be a practical machine for operating road haulage in peace time. The Ministry itself said that increased empty running is inevitable, for it is acting as an emergency reserve to carry, to a large extent, traffic which cannot go by rail. It seems,' however, that the attempt to concentrate vehicles into fewer hands has not been the success that its advocates anticipated, and, indeed, that efficiency is lost in direct proportion to the lessening of the individual attention which can be paid to operating each velaicle. The Government scheme is, in fact, affording an indication of how efficient is the comparatively small operator whose whole time can be given to the control of his vehicles and to the specialized requirements of his individual customers, compared with the service afforded by an unwieldy and over-centralized control.

It is, therefore, possible that, indirectly, the scheme may be instrumental in helping them to preserve the individual enterprise by which we set so much store. That independence will be fought for tooth and nail, and any attempt at compulsory amalgamation could be forced through only in the face of the bitterest opposition 'At this time, when so much effort has been expended to secure a united front for the industry, the greatest possible dis-service would be done by putting forward suggestions for the compulsory consolidation of operating units.

It is not perhaps realized how great a proportion of the membership of the •

new Road Haulage Association will be composed of medium and small-sized

concerns. Eighty per cent, of the industry is composed of owners of six and fewer vehicles ; owners of seven comprise 17 per cent.; and those with over seven, only 3 per cent. , It is gratifying to find what a general welcome the M.O.W.T. and others have given to the new Federation and its autonomous Associations, particularly to the R.H.A. Nothing could be so calculated to wreck the new unity than to ask the R.H.A., as °lie of its first duties, to support a policy of forced consolidation. To him, this was not essential to the acceptance of the obligations of a great national service.

Restricted Operations

The industry will, however, have to accept certain obligations, although with obvious limits. For instance, it is impossible to expect a haulier to accept his full obligations of a" common car-, rier "whilst, at the same time, severely restricting the number of vehicles which he may operate. So long as the present licensing system continues, he can accept goods only to the limit of his capacity to carry, and for the routes on which he operates services. Even then, the present weight restriction to which he is subjected severely limits the type of goods which he can handle. Any requirement to carry all traffics offered would inevitably involve the construction of special motorways restricted to fast-moving traffic and capable of supporting vehicles and trailers with a pay-load of N tons.

It was the combination of relatively high rates, coupled with a limited payload capacity and the reduction of handling which attracted to road trans

port goods in the higher railway classes and gave rise to the criticism that road transport skims the cream off the traffic. It has already shown its . willingness, with certain limitations, to accept the obligations of a public service, and has agreed to statutory control of rates and conditions of iarriage involving no discrimination between traders.

The Eastern Area Committee has issued a statement of policy , which differs slightly from that of the A.R.O.' Haulier Board. Voluntary agreements are, however, suggested, and as the Area is a party to the Road and Rail Central Conference, the speaker assumed that they include voluntary agreements between road and rail. The only difference, therefore, is in the carrying out of these. He could not see, however, how voluntary agreements could be successful. Many had had experience of such attempts and of the irritation felt when they were torpedoed by ignorance or intent. All the Association suggests is that the initiation of rates and conditions should be left with the R.H.A., and more particularly with those members actually handling the traffics concerned. Once such agreements have .been made and subjected to the appeal machinery, there should be some power of enforcement against anyone who wilfully continues to go behind them.

As regards future work, apart from the building of a huge number of houses, there must be extensive renovations and the production of masses of consumer goods.

Unless the C licensee is to be restricted—and he was not suggesting this—the rates obtainable by both road and rail must he such as to attract traffic, as against the operation of his own vehicles by a trader. .

Is there any reason why a further trial should not be given to private enterprise for road and rail operation, coupled with the implementation of the " Square Deal" legislation and the adoption of the A.R.O. proposal that power be given to the new R.H.A. to accept certain obligations for its members and be responsible that these are observed? .


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