AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

3R haulage bid: operators fight back

7th April 1978, Page 5
7th April 1978
Page 5
Page 5, 7th April 1978 — 3R haulage bid: operators fight back
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

EUTISH Rail could be coinling with road hauliers for isiness if an amendment to e Transport Bill due to be bled yesterday (Thursday) !comes law.

But already the amendment • tabled by Transport Minter William Rodgers — has in into a storm of criticism om the industry and Road aulage Association director meral George Newman has tiled for its withdrawal.

Standing Committee B of te House of Commons was le to be asked to add subause five to clause 10 of the ill. It reads: c a) where it appears to w them expedient with a iew only to extending the tilisation of road vehicles ormally used for carriage of goods which have been or are to be carried by rail to use such vehicles for the carriage by road of goods of any description; and b) where they have entered into a contract for the carriage of goods (with or without provisions in the contract specifying the means of carriage) and the contract is to be performed predominantly by rail carriage, to use any road vehicles in partial discharge of their obligations under the contract shall be within the powers of the British Railways Board. 9 British Rail has denied that it will be making a thrust towards the road haulage market and says it is to use the amendment — if passed — to continue to operate Freight liners on its current basis only.

"We are not in the road haulage business and we don't want to be in the road haulage business," said a BR spokesman, "and we are not going to set up a hire and reward fleet."

He also denied allegations that BR was planning to use a road transport fleet to indulge in strike breaking to maintain services to its freight customers, In a letter to Mr Rodgers, Mr Newman expresses the RHA's "very grave anxiety" over the proposed amendment. He says: "This seems to us the more alarming in that whilst it is to be incorporated in the clause of the Bill dealing with Freightliners its effect goes far beyond the operations of that company and extends to the use of road vehicles for the carriage of goods 'which have been or are to be carried by rail'."

Mr Newman says that it is "wholly unreasonable" to empower BR to enter hire and reward haulage when road vehicle fleets are currently more than adequate to provide all the collection and delivery services required by Freightliners.

And he expects that the entry of BR into the business will further depress rates because the operations will be run at a loss.

At the National Freight Corporation, a spokesman told CM that the chairman Sir Dan Pettit has already written to Mr Rodgers to voice the concern felt by the NFC over the proposal.


comments powered by Disqus