Licensing Authority on Newcomers
Page 28
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AT a public inquiry heW at Cam-bridge on December 6 by Sir Alfred Faulkner, Eastern Licensing Authority, he stated his views on the position of the following: (1) Established hauliers with more than their pre-war fleets; (2) people who have left the industry on account of war circumstances and may wish to come back; (3) newcomers, especially ex-Servicemen and other war workers, who wish to enter the industry.
He emphasized that what he said related only to his Area, and he had no knowledge of the position elsewhere.
It was necessary, first, to make a survey of the haulage likely compared with the pre-war position, and he omitted all work of a transitory nature. The Area was much industrialized during the war and a great deal of this remains, so that the total haulage required in this connection is likely to be much more than the pre-war volume.
A good deal of land had been reclaimed and much more put under the plough, and ploughed land involves more haulage. Then there are ahead a heavy housing programme and a big scheme of road construction. Therefore, the total haulage in future would probably be greater than before the War, even allowing for the fact that some farmers are taking out C licences.
As to available haulage resources, in every locality in which applications had been made for A or 13 licences (with one or two minor exceptions) there are fewer A and B authorized vehicles in the neighbourhood, despite the fact that a number of established hauliers has considerably more vehicles of a heavier unladen weight than in 1939.
From this Sir Alfred concluded that there is room for more vehicles in the Eastern Area than are represented by the pre-war fleets of established hauliers. after making allowance for those hauliers who went out of business through war circumstances and who will wish to return.
The issue is therefore a straight one. Is the established haulier to be given licences for more than his pre-war fleet in preference to a newcomer?
He admitted, with all sincerity, that those who remained in the haulage industry and kept it effective during the war served their country well, but so did the ca-Serviceman and the war worker, whilst defence permits for additional vehicles were issued only as an emergency measure.
In some localities there may be room for newcomers as well as for increases in established fleets, but in view of the position, and whilst considering the evidence in each case with care and dealing with it on its merits, he would feel obliged to give consideration to the claims of newcomers, particularly in the categories mentioned, and more especially in the country districts, even if the work which they proposed to do could be done by. established hauliers, if the latter are able to do the work only as a result of having more vehicles than pre-war.