Transport Requirements of Industry
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BEFORE proceeding to make a résumé of the paper.by Mr. C. A. Lambert, general Manager of the Bolsover Colliery Co., Ltd., we might, appropriately, extract a .cornmerit appearing in the opening of the paper submitted to the Congress by Professor J. H. Jones, M.A., Ph.D., who reminds us that the author, before entering the coal-mining industry, "held a highly responsible post with the London and North Eastern Railway Co." It is as well to be mindful of this fact in considering some of the views expressed by Mr. Lambert, who clearly has the prorailway approach to his subject, although he offers certain criticism of the methods of the railways and puts forward some ideas for their attention.
Transport facilities are, he says, greater to-day than ever before; Road transport has created new possibilities of direct door-to-door service, and the public has been quick to see the possibilities of this new agency and to make full use of it. He freely admits its advantage over rail transport in avoiding handling in transit, which is an attractive consideration, and dispenses, to a large extent, with the cost of packing, whilst speed and punctuality of delivery are equally assured.
Not only has the new form of transport in some measure displaced rail transport, but it has created additional travel and has rendered possible the extension of suburban areas and populated rural areas in a way that would not otherwise have been possible. But he tempers this statement by adding that it has created new problems and he thinks it was allowed to develop without regard to its effect in competing with other transport enterprise.
The canals were an important transport agency for a period of 300 years, but, when the railways demonstrated their superior advantages, the canal proprietors received some consideration, for the new form of transport could not be practised without the sanction of Parliament, and they were able to secure compensation from their new rivals before their systems suffered partial extinction.
The author thinks Brat, in this respect, the circumstances associated with road transport have been quite dissimilar, for not only was no Act of Parliament required to sanction
the establishment of road services, but Parliament approved expenditure on road improvements to facilitate the movement of traffic which was deserting the railways. There were many features in this competition of which the railways, as large ratepayers, had, in Mr. Lambert's opinion, just cause to complain. The Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, was the first step towards creating some measure of equality between the two transport agencies.
That we all believe in the advantages of competition is a point stressed by the author, but he safeguards his case by adding that in matters essential to the life of the nation competition inevitably finds its limits, and brings about an adjustment of rival interests to maintain essential services.
At this point of his paper, the author coins a new word, and, in order to facilitate ready expression, he speaks of " roadable " and " non-roadable " traffic. While the roadable traffic was being diverted in ever-increasing quantities from the railways, the heavy industries supplying the nonreadable commodities were producing less for carriage by the railways.
In considering the road and rail problem, is Mr. Lambert correct in assuming that we shall all recognize the indispensability of the railways? Apart from commerce, they are, he asserts, necessary for purposes of national defence. [As was pointed out in a leading article in our issue dated May 11, they may well prove a weak link in this connection, for they are most vulnerable from an attack by air. Freedom of transport is the most essential of military assets.] In addition, they areessential for the
efficient transport of built commodities. Ile says that there are still many. services which road transport cannot
supply. One of the essential requirements of industry must therefore, be that the railways should pay their way.
He divides the transport needs of industry into two parts :—(1) Service, (2) cost. The quality of the former is always changing, and industry is ever ready to avail itself of higher standards as they become available. In regard to cost, cheaper transport stimulates the exchange
of 'commodities and is an important factor in increasing trade.
He then proceeds to deal with the different means for transport that are available, i.e., coastwise steamer, canal, rail, road and air. He says that road transport has extended the radius of delivery, so that coastal shipping is more important than ever as a competitor with other forms of transport. It has always been recognized by the railways as a competitor, and exceptional rates have been deemed to be necessary to prevent more serious encroachment on railway revenue.
The author makes a passing reference to canal transport, and says that little has been heard of the practicability of reviving canal traffic since the advent of road transport. On the canals owned by the four railway groups a toss of !torn £40,000 to £50,000 per annum is incurred. He says that now that Parliament has admitted the need for coordination between road and rail interests, and when the recovery of the railways to a position of economic security is so necessary, the closing of canals that cannot be worked profitably should be reconsidered.
At this point Mr. Lambert says that out of something like 355,000 goods vehicles on the road, between 70 per cent. and SO per cent. are owned by manufacturers and dealers in commodities. With such a large number of vehicles serving the requirements of owners' businesses, in his opinion, it may be said that road transport is free to develop without serious restraint.
The importance of passenger traffic and parcels carried by passenger trains is indicated by the fact that, in 1933, 44 per cent. of the gross receipts of the railways were derived from these sources.
He sagely observes that the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, has given the railways a fresh tease of life in the liberty to make agreed charges, which shall be subject to the approval of the Railway Rates Tribunal, To those who may be disposed to think they are inde pendent of the railways, the author puts forward the belief that "although they can use road transport for most of their supplies and for the products of their manufacture, their interests ultimately depend on the general level of prosperity in the country."
It is stated that the division of commodities into readable and non-readable classes appears to suggest two distinct categories of service. For roadabIe goods transit time must be equal to road-transport time, unless rail charges be slightly lower than road charges, in which case a little longer may be allowed. Security against damage, however, without undue cost of packing must, in any case, be assured. Progress has, no doubt, been made in transit time by rail, but to compete with road transport further improvement is necessary in order that a substantial share of lighter goods traffic may be secured.
The opinion was held by some that, without an elaborate system of signalling, road speeds would not compete with the railways, but we are reminded that experience has proved the contrary to be the case. Mr. Lambert thinks that means should be devised for the more rapid movement of traffic that is competitive with road services, and, in this connection, he advises improved methods at junction and terminal goods depots.
For non-readable commodities, if the charges be Tow enough to stimulate trade, a slower service by rail will still be unrivalled by other means for transport, and full regard could br paid to economy of operation in the case of non-perishable goods.
In rounding off his paper, Mr. Lambert says that now is the time when a liberal policy of cheaper transport by rail should bring its reward. We have, perhaps, not yet reached the final stage of co-ordination between rail and road transport, but, in his opinion, the railways now have more scope than ever before for developing their traffic by fostering the trade recovery of the country, and, in this way, to restore their fortunes.