A T the meeting of the Road Haulage Wages Board, held in London last Tuesday, the main points discussed were:—
Page 28
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
(a) Reclassification of vehicle steps in connection with wages, the object being to place the whole country on the same basis. In London. the steps have always been different. There is already partial agreement on this matter.
(b) The question of increasing the speed limit for heavy vehicles. As is well known, the unions put forward considerable resistance to any increase, although the Ministry was not adverse to the move. It therefore asleed the unions to suggest safeguards, but the latter are demanding so many that it is apparent that they are endeavouring to block the change.
(c) A general increase in wages in the haulage industry. The Government's attitude towards demands for higher wages is well known.
WORKING PARTY TO EXAMINE DOCK DELAYS
AWORKING party has been set up at Liverpool to see whether the turnround of road transport bringing export cargo tItI the Liverpool and Birkenhead docks can be speeded up. This information has been given by Mersey Docks and Harbour Board to the National Road Transport Fedetation.
Explaining some of the reasons for delays, the Board said: "Shipping companies ordering forward cargo specify dates on which this thould.be tendered at the docks, the object being to distribute the total quantity of cargo over the receiving period to facilitate handling.In many instances—and this tendency is increasing—the date specified is ignored and cargo arrives either early or late. In either case it causes difficulty and can tesult in an undue delay to the road vehicle.
"It is obviously undesirable either to turn away such vehicles or deal with them out of turn, and the consequent problem is a matter of concern . . as vehicles arriving on the proper date are adversely affected."
Hauliers and shippers are asked to A26 co-operate in this matter and to ensure that, so far as practicable, packages for each destination and for each ship are stowed together on the vehicle. This practice will, it is stated, save time at the docks. NATIONALIZATION TO BE DELAYED?
A LTHOUGH the appointed day for the taking over of the four main
line 'railways is January 1 next, so far nothing has been said regarding any particular date for similar action in connection with long-distance road haulage.
There have even been dark hints from members of the Government that there may be considerable delay in transferring road haulage undertakings to State ownership.
It is obvious that even if an official date were to be given, it could be little more than empirical. A tremendous amount of work will have to be done in connection with the valuing of the alleged 2,500 road transport undertakings and the 20.000 or so vehicles which they own, before anything more than a vague guess can be made.