Ministry Prepare for Rail Stoppage
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pENDING official announcement of
the measures and concessions to be adopted in the event of a rail strike, hauliers and manufacturers throughout the country, this week, have been going ahead with their own emergency plans to alleviate the inevitable transport chaos.
Although, at the time of going to press. the Ministry of Transport were guarded about their proposals, it was known that they were drawing up plans to administer road transport in 11 regional areas and that officials were meeting the Chambers of Commerce of the four London boroughs most likely to suffer congestion —Holborn, Marylebone, Westminster and St. Pancras, In the London area, coach concerns have been booked to capacity by banks, business houses and stores seeking to ensure transport for their personnel.
If the Government adopt measures similar to those put into effect during the 1955 rail strike, we can expect the relaxation of licensing restrictions, imposition of priorities, commandeering of vehicles and other steps compatible with a state of emergency.
In 1955, vehicles outside the Construction and Use Regulations were permitted on the highway and the Metropolitan Traffic Commissioner was allowed to enable operators other than the London Transport Excutive to provide stage and express carriage services in the London Special Area without the consent of the Executive.
The Road Haulage Association, alert to the need for additional road transport, have not waited for the Ministry's decision: already they have urged that extra vehicles be licensed to carry steel and minerals for Scottish industrialists who, last year, relied on the railways to carry more than 6m. tons.
Not so badly off are such areas as Merseyside, Dagenham and the Midlands car manufacturing centres, Where the vast majority of raw materials comes in by sea or road.
NO STRIKE DUPLICATES BUS crews of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., operating in the Leicester area will not run duplicate services in the event of a national rail strike. This was decided by a branch committee this week: the other three branches in the district were expected to follow suit.
LOADS TO LEIPZIG BY B.R.S. 'TEN 12-ton vehicles of British Road I.Services are on their way to Leipzig, Eastern Germany, with the first consignment of British exhibitors' displays for the trade fair to be held there from February 28-March 8. Other loads will be following.
Britain is making a bigger showing at the fair this year than ever before. Among the exhibitors will be Rootes, Ltd., the Rover Co., Ltd., and StandardTriumph Sales, Ltd.