Another Big Road-Rail Fight
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
rOTTON exports from Lancashire,
via Hull, and provisions from Hull docks for the Manchester markets are likely to be big bones of contention in the fight between rail and road for a more settled division of function.
At an inquiry held in Manchester, last -week, into an application for four extra vehicles for service on this route, by Mr. F. Midgley, of Rochdale, who already has two vehicles running regularly to Hull, it was stated, inter alia, that.—.
The rate for the carriage of butter frnin Hull was 15s. per ton by road and 26s. by rail.
Whilst many vehicles ran. empty daily from Hull to Manchester, one firm alone ran 20 vehicles empty to Hull, on a. Monday,: to bring hack provisions for Tuesday's market in Manchester.
The applicant also travelled light on Monday'i outward journeys, because of the difficulties of loading up after the week-end. The railways had lost traffic in both directions.
For the railway companies, evidence was called to show that from the Bolton area, the yarn export trade via Hull had fallen in 1936 to 939 tons, as compared with 3,347tons in 1933. Provisions from .Hull to Manchester had declined from 10,904 tons to 7,507 tons.
Mr. P. Kershaw, for the railways, argued that Mr. Midgley had changed during the currency of his licence from -the local carrying of bricks at Rochdale to long-distance operation with other goods, and not from his own base at 01, and more from Hull to Manchester than on the outward run. It was not sufficient evidence of need, he said, for forwarding agents to declare that they . could keep the extra vehicles employed.
..Sir William Hart, North.-Western Deputy Licensing Authority, deferred his decision. .