MERCHANDISE TRANSPORT SWITCH SUCCEEDS
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AN application by Merchandise Transport Ltd., of Tottenham, to switch 84 vehicles and seven trailers from C to B licences was disposed of quickly in London on Wednesday when a grant was made in amended terms by the Metropolitan LA, Mr. D. I. R. Muir.
The application to carry "goods bought or sold by Lebus Furniture Ltd., Lebus Upholstery Ltd., and Moorgate Trading Co. Ltd., (or wholly owned subsidiaries of Harris Lebus Ltd.) any distance" was amended to read "furniture and materials used in the manufacture thereof for Lebus Furniture Ltd. and Lebus Upholstery Ltd."
Merchandise Transport Ltd. was represented by Mr. P. W. Edwards. There were three objectors. Miss E. Havers appeared for Guest Carriers (Hackney) Ltd. and Guest Scottish Carriers Ltd., and British Railways was represented by Mr. A. J. F. Wrottesley.
Mr. Edwards referred the LA to the welldocumented hearing of the Merchandise Transport application six years ago. The Transport Tribunal's direction that an A licence should be granted was reversed by the Court of Appeal, he said. Both Lord Justice Sellars and Lord Justice Devlin had said that the application should have been for a B licence.
Mr. K. E. Brimmer, secretary of Harris Lebus Ltd., said the company was now a holding company and operations would be conSacted by subsidiary companies. The Group board had decided that the transport requirements of the group as a whole would be best served by amalgamating Harris Lebus C-licensed vehicles with the A-licensed vehicles owned by Merchandise Transport Ltd.
Mr. F. E. Forrest, group transport manager, said the change would not affect rail or road operators as the vehicles would do the same work as before. He assured the LA there would be no difficulty in identifying the vehicles which could carry return loads and those which were not licensed to do so.