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RHA and Tarmac to negotiate on terms

13th December 1968
Page 28
Page 28, 13th December 1968 — RHA and Tarmac to negotiate on terms
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• In order that the Road Haulage Association and the North Wales division of Tarmac Roadstone Holdings Ltd. should continue negotiations for an acceptable rates schedule for tippers working out of the latter's quarries. an application was adjourned in Bangor last Friday.

Jones Bros,, Ruthin, was applying to the North Western Licensing Authority to place four tippers on B licence which were now on contract to Craig Lelo Granite Co. Ltd. In May this year Craig Lelo had ceased trading as a company since it had been taken over by Tarmac at the end of 1966.

For Jones Bros., Mr. J. H. Hughes said his client sought to offer its customer greater versatility, to use these vehicles on its own business and to obtain fairer return on capital employed.

Mr. G. O. Jones, one of the partners, said they were plant hire and civil engineering contractors as well as forming part of a farmers' consortium cultivating 3,000 acres. At harvest time, obtaining sufficient vehicles to haul the grain was a tremendous problem. If the vehicles were on B licence, they could return load sand or roadstone for their civil engineering work.

The contracts had been taken out in August 1966.. March, May and June of 1967. Total earnings to October 31 this year were an unsatisfactory £8,465. Since Craig Lelo had been absorbed, although rates had been increased, the volume of work had decreased. The vehicles were now being asked to travel greater distances and in winter only received two loads a day.

For six hauliers, whose late objections the LA agreed to hear, Mr. J. Edward Jones asked the applicant why he was not satisfied with the earnings since the contracts he had signed were for less. Mr. Jones replied that he would expect a vehicle to earn at least £3,600 yearly. It was the earning power and not the rate that was wrong.

Was he not aware that the turnover of Contract A vehicles with Tarmac was very

high and that the objectors would say that was because the rate was too low, queried Mr. J. E. Jones.

Mr. G. Clark, production and transport manager, Tarmac, North Wales, said at Minera quarry last month there had been 50 undelivered loads each day because of insufficient transport. Mr. J. E. Jones asked if this

was not due to Tarmac's low rates. Mr. Clark

said he did not know what others paid. Different rates were not given to Contract A and B licensed vehicles but they were lower at Minera where the objectors worked because it was dry limestone as opposed to coated material at Craig Lelo.

Previous discussions with the R HA had been abortive because he wanted vehicles, not a letter asking for rates, said Mr. Clark. A new schedule was being prepared due to the increased fuel tax.

Mr. Hughes felt it would be unjust to penalize the applicant by an adjournment for what was a domestic argument between the RHA and Tarmac. The LA said the contracts could continue during the adjournment


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