Elite makes all drivers at Southampton site redundant
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By Chris Tindall ELLIE TRANSPORT Services has made all of its drivers at Southampton redundant, after claiming that port container work for the company had fallen by 8%. The 50 job losses also include drivers at its Felixstowe base and some administration staff at the Manchester head office.
Depot manager Mike L,ewry said the move is "a great shame" but that the firm is struggling with a downturn in trade. "[The port owner] is saying it's busy; [it isn't] busy at all. The fleet we had was a large fleet and it just wasn't profitable down here any more," he said. "The people that have left: yes, they are bitter, but the company can't keep forking money out of its pockets. It's haulage, I'm afraid."
L,ewry said he and one other person remain at the Southampton site to run up to a dozen subcontractors, and that the inland operations at sites in Leeds and Birmingham are unaffected.
Southampton ABP Port director Doug Morrison said rail has increased its share of the container transport market: "Times are hard and the industry is finding it tough with the [rising] cost of fuel and competing with rail. But the container terminal continues to be busy, and I am confident that next year we will see growth in the container business. There are a lot of [hauliers] that continue to do well despite the economic climate, and I have no concerns about any more of them leaving Southampton."