Quicker Work with Smaller Railway Cartage Fleet
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ENORMOUS scope for improving railway efficiency is indicated by the introduction of a pilot scheme at the goods depot in London Road, Manchester, which has reduced by over a quarter the number of road vehicles required for collections and deliveries throughout the surrounding industrial area, whilst at the same time effecting such swifter movement that traffic collected can be forwarded by train on the same day.
The scheme is the outcome of three weeks" study at the depot by 20 trained work-study experts who analysed every stage of the work of handling parcels, and are now devising incentives for negotiation with employees' representatives.
New Bus Wage Claim : London Strike. Threat EMPLOYEES of provincial company I—, and Municipal bus undertakings are to claim another increase in wages. They seek pay rates equal to those of London Transport's country bus workers, which means that they will claim approximately another 10s. a week. This decision was reached last week by the finance and general purposes committee of the Transport and General Workers' Union.
A claim is also to be made for a pension scheme not less favourable than that applied to railway workers.
The committee also endorsed the London busmen's proposal for plenary powers to enforce their claim for an extra 10s. 6d. a week for all London Transport bus operatives. • If London Transport do not concede it, the men propose to call a strike on May 5. Sir John Elliot, chairman of London Transport, said that they would apply only the award of Ss. 6d. a week to central bus workers made by the Industrial Court. That amount could be absorbed without a general rise in fares.
He pointed out that the busmen themselves would be hurt more than anyone by a strike. Much of the traffic lost in a strike was never recovered.
' A meeting just before Easter between Sir John and Mr. Frank Cousins, general secretary of the T.G.W.U., failed to produce any result. When Sir John -stated that London Transport would not grant any advance of pay beyond the terms of the Industrial Court's award, Mr. Cousins said that the men would strike on May 5 for an increase of 10s. 6d. a week all round. Sir John then said that London Transport withdrew their offer to put into effect the court's award.
200 BUSES EN ROUTE TO CEYLON NEARLY 200 of the 590 vehicles ordered by the Ceylon Transport Board are expected to be delivered by early next month. The present fleet is under strength and vehicles break down frequently because of overloading. An unexpected difficulty has arisen through Tamil people's objection to the use of Sinhalese letters on vehicle number plates. In north Ceylon, predominantly Tamil, buses have been stopped and number plates altered. The reverse is now happening in Sinhalese areas
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" A remarkable example of co-operation between management and men," was how a railway spokesman at the headquarters of the London Midland Region at Euston described the achievement in an exclusive interview with a representative of The Commercial Motor on Wednesday. Not only the employees' delegates but members of driving and handling staff had made many suggestions for improvements, he said. The scheme affects the parcels section of the depot, where 800 tons of traffic, representing some 6,000 individual consignments, are handled daily. This used to involve the use of 112 Scarnmell mechanical horse and other vehicles, but the application of work-study principles had made the attainment of better load factors possible, and 37 of the outfits were now
redundant. •
In addition to the saving of vehicles, movements were being done more quickly and customers were receiving a better service. An official of the National Union of Railwaymen has stated that the N.U.R. itself had asked for the workstudy team to be called in as the former organization at the depot was inefficient. Workers were not properly trained.
80 A.E.C. BUSES ORDERED
SIXTY more A.E.C. Regent Mk. V double-deckers and 20 Regal Mk. TV single-deckers have been ordered by Johannesburg Municipal Transport Department. through Dawson and Dobson, Ltd., A.C.V. South African distributors. A.C.V. iai.n,.this to be the largest order for municipal oil-engined buses ever to be placed in South Africa, It follows the contract completed last year for 50 Regents and the more recent order for 10 Regal IV models. When the 80 new buses are delivered, Johannesburg will operate 250 oil-engined buses, of which 169 will be A.E.C.
CATTLE HAULIERS RETRACT
LIVESTOCK hauliers in Angus have withdrawn their decision not to carry cattle for sale at various marts (The Commercial Motor, last week) following a meeting with auctioneers' representatives. The hauliers object to the "first in, first sold" system obtaining at the marts which, they say, results in wasteful transport operation. The auctioneers' delegates agreed to consider the whole position and to meet the hauliers again in three weeks.
Higher Speed Limit for Light Vehicles ?
THERE is a possibility that the speed limit for light commercial vehicles may be raised. Mr. D. Chapman (Lab.. Northfield), urged in the House of Commons last week that it should be increased to 40 m.p.h. Mr. Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport, replied that he was considering whether any change was desirable. Tech: nical advice was being collected and he would consider it immediately he received it. ,
B.T.C. RECEIPTS DROP BY ElOini.
THE British Transport Commission's traffic receipts in the first 12 weeks of this year were appreciably lower than those in the corresponding period of last year. They totalled £150,769,000 compared-with £161,305,000. Total passenger revenue dropped from £60,291,000 to £56,416,000. Receipts on the Commission's provincial and Scottish buses fell from £12,816,000 to £12,092.000. London Transport's road-service revenue likewise deClined from £13,910,000 to £13,164,000. British Railways' total freight revenue dropped from £88,493,000 to £81,966,000.
HEBBLE TO TAKE OVER EXCURSIONS
AN application has been made . by Hebble Motor Services, Ltd., Halifax, to take Over five licences; mainly for excursion traffic, held by Walton and Helliwell, Ltd., Mytholtriroyd. Subject to the sanction of the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners, Hebble will operate Walton and Helliwell's services, but their depot at Mytholmroyd and the Halifax booking office are to be retained by the Holdsworth group, which acquired the business in 1946, Hearing of the application will be in Leeds on April 30. Hebble will probably take over a dozen coaches from Walton and Helliwell.
76 C-LICENSEES CONVICTED
I N a written answer last week, Mr Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport, said that during the last quarter of 1957 there were 76 prosecutions of Clicensees for carrying for hire or reward. There was a conviction in every case. In one instance the licence was revoked