Government Disposal Policy Shows Panic, say R.H.A.

11th November 1955, Page 116

11th November 1955

Page 116

Page 116, 11th November 1955 — Government Disposal Policy Shows Panic, say R.H.A.

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Keywords : Transport In The United Kingdom, Transport, Land Transport, Trucks, British Transport Commission, Motoring Taxation In The United Kingdom, Salter Report, Politics

IN a memorandum sent this week to all Members of Parliament other I than Socialists, the Road Haulage Association accused the Government of panic in changing their policy on disposal without full consideration of the effect.

The seven-page document said that it was not necessary for British Road Services to keep a greater number of vehicles than that provided for in the Transport Act, 1953, and that sales of the heavier vehicles in small lots, with the optional offer of suitable depots, should be continued to ensure adequate competition in long-distance haulage.

Before the General Election last May, the Association said, steady progress was made with sales, despite the constitutional defects of transport units and the difficulties placed in the way of intending purchasers. In the 16 months to that date, about 1,000 vehicles a month were sold by B.R.S. "at very high prices."

When the Conservative Government were restored to power with an increased majority, it was expected that they would be able to adopt a more forthright policy. Their change of front had taken the road haulage industry completely by surprise. It had been interpreted as a complete failure of the Government's policy of denationalization.

A Matter of Opinion " The new policy might leave B.R.S. with 1.2,000 to 17,000 vehicles. The figure of 7,750 general haulage vehicles to be retained was based upon the conclusion reached by Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve, chairman of the. Road Haulage Disposal Board. He had, however, made it clear that the number required for trunk haulage was not capable of a mathematical answer and involved a difficult matter of opinion.

"It would be thought," the R.H.A. commented, "that a matter of opinion would be one for the Government on policy, and would not necessarily follow rigidly the recommendation made by Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve largely on an hypothetical basis."

It would have been expected that the 3,300 vehicles shown in the books of the British Transport Commission as running exclusively on long-distance services would form the basis of the trunk network and that the Government would not have gone out of their way to suggest a figure more than double that number.

No Competition Competition by private-enterprise hauliers on trunk work would be possible if B.R.S. retained 3,300 vehicles. To leave the State undertaking with 7,750 vehicles for this purpose would remove almost entirely the possibility of effective competition in trunk work.

Only a small proportion of the 12,000 vehicles sold up to the end of 1954 were of the type and size most suitable for long-distance work. Even in list S.4--the only one offering a number of E2

the heavier vehicles with depots suitable for long-distance trunk services—the average unladen weight per vehicle was only about 4 tons. In list 12 the average unladen weight of the 1,471 vehicles offered was 11 tons—less than half the weight required for longdistance work.

The average of five tenders per unit sold confirmed the large unsatisfied demand for suitable vehicles, the memorandum declared. If the Minister's intention were carried out, private hauliers would have fewer than 2,000 vehicles on trunk services in competition with about 5,000 purely longdistance vehicles operated by B.R.S.

Local, tramp and special services of B.R.S. would be substantially increased, and it would be impossible for hauliers to compete fully and freely with B.R.S. on trunk work. They would be restricted largely to local, tramp and specialized activities.

N.C.R.T.C.H. SEE TORIES

A DELEGATION from the National ri Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses told the Conservative Party Transport Committee in the House of Commons last week that the 1953 Act should not be amended until every vehicle of British Road Services remaining for disposal under the Act had been offered or reoffered for sale. The Minister of Transport's new disposal policy was fully discussed.

Government Disposal Policy Shows Panic, say R.H.A.

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