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A WAY ROUND FOR THE RAILWAYS!

9th August 1921, Page 10
9th August 1921
Page 10
Page 10, 9th August 1921 — A WAY ROUND FOR THE RAILWAYS!
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

By "The Inspector."

UNDOUBTEDLY the factor which looms most largely in the politics of the industrial vehicle world at the present time is this.question of hos, far the railways will ultimately be successful in achieving their plans for securing s, share—and it will probably be a very generous. share—of the development of the use of the ordinary highwayssof the country.

There is no doubt whatever that this big move is fraught with the gravest possibilities to the industry IS . a whole—toguser, to sales organization, arid to manufacturer alike. If the railways secure the powers which they are seeking, they will inevitably become far and away thebiggest owners and operators of commercial vehicle transport in the country ; mild:, as such, they would unquestionably dominate theconditions that will govern the industry in future. The effect of such a result on the, Trade Union movement, alone would be most far-reaching.

The fortunate opposition they recently encountered in Parliament, when the question of their extended motor-vehicle-operating _powers: carne up for discussion while the Railway Bill was in progress, was merely a temporary set-back. Teohninal .objection. was astutely discovered by SirW. JoyssonHicks, who may be always relied upon.to,see.-ather further through a brick wall, from a legal point of view, than anyone else who is concerned with the maim vehicle to the extent he has been for many years. This: has for a little while upset this plans of the railway,companies, but the successful upholding of the objection by the Speaker does not, in, the slightest degree, affect the position other than to causa a short delay. The House has given no expression of opinion as to whether the railways shall or shall not operate motor vehicles independently of their proper activities. The main issueshas yet to

be tried.

There is just a danger that the public—and the. public is very largely the user—may be lulled into a sense,of security by that kind of quickly formed conclusion which is begotten of hasty scanning of newspaper headlines. It is quite likely that numerous people imagine that the railways' attempt to secure these new powers' fraught7with such a monopolistic tendency, has fallen 'through once and for all, whereas, of course; nothing but a trivial delay has occurred to date.

I still hold that unless something entirely unforeseen-, occurs before thekmain issue is properly tried in:the House oPOorrimons, and,the magnitude of the opposition of direct and indirect interests is disclosed, that the railways will ultimately obtain the powers which they are seeking. But there is a still more significant possibility which has been suggested to me this week by one who knows the ropes of railway organization and development pretty: thoroughly, and, that is, that in the event of the companies themselves—or the few big groups of .companies as they are now—being refused powers to operate motor vehicles as independent roacrhauliers, it is extremely likely that they will proceed to secure the ends they have in:mind by the formation of subsidiary companies with such objects in view. So far as the writer is informed, there is nothing to prevent e1,1 s

such development, and the user, the seller and manufacturer will'be no better off in such circumstances than if the companies had the powers for which they are seeking now in the manner known to us all.

Most of us are probably aware of developments of this kind which have taken place in the past, and quite Tocently there have appeared in the Press accounts of the remarkable development, for instance, of the Metropolitan Railway Co. .of London. Starting in 1863, I think it was, with two or three miles of tunnelled railway,. this line now has something on the way to 100 miles, and is one of the most important factors in London's transport organization. One of the-most significant activities•of this enterprising company issthe purchase of large tracts of land contiguous to the railway for the purpose of building operations and developments. These purchases have

been carried out by subsidiary companies. It is understood they have been very beneficial to the development of the neighbourhoods concerned, but they are direct evidence of what it is possible for a railway to encompais in the matter of development even if their Charter of Incorporation' does not invest them with a right.to carry on activities that are not pecu'liar to railway operation as such. .

I repeat that we shall do well to assume that this railway companies will either-obtain the powers for which they are seeking, or they will findssther means to use the roads now that they have at long last been forced to the conclusion that the self-propelled vehicle on the common highway is a practical alternative to other means of transport, and one which has, during the past years, robbed them of very considerable quantities of-traffic.

I do not hold with those who argue that, as the railways pay such enormous sums in rates, they should be entitled, with all other taxpayers, to use the roads for profit. The consideration that is due to them in respect of their contribution to the national finances isthat they have a monopoly which cannot be disturbed by any competitor. Ratepayers who use the road's only can hope for no corresponding privilege in respect of the railway companies' property.

' On the other hand, the claim made by the railways that they must not be forced into a position where road hauliers can pick and choose profitable traffic, and take all they can get of such traffic from the railways, while leaving the less profitable consignments to be carried by the railways, who are, by law, deprived of the option of refusing, is one that must be seriously entertained in common justice.

I offer no apologies for again dealing with certain aspects of this all-important development, which we shall see come to fruition during the next year or two. We in the commercial vehicle industry cannot review the situation from toomany points of view, and, above all, we must fight in all practical directions to remove any impression which may have crept into the mind of the ordinary man that the railways' attempt to secure these new powers has been sketched. Nothing of the sort 'has happened ; the position is exactly as it was, but delayed for a few weeks.

Tags

Organisations: Trade Union
People: W. Joys
Locations: London

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