HAULIERS WANT 1,500 MORE HEAVY LORRIES FROM B.R.S.
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BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
WITHOUT withdrawing their opposition to the principle of halting " denationalization, the Road Haulage Association would, I learn, be less aggrieved if the general haulage fleet of British Road Services were reduced to about 6,250 vehicles, weighing some 30,000 tons unladen. They believe that if hauliers were to be sold another 1,000 to 1,500 heavy long-distance vehicles with special A licences, a fairer basis of competition between free enterprise and the State would be created. The Association are likely to seek an amendment on these lines to the Transport (Disposal of Road Haulage Property) Bill, which allows B.R.S. 7,750 general haulage vehicles of 36,000 tons.
Other amendments may also be put forward. The R.H.A. look with approval on the placing of a limit on the number of trailers (3,200) which B.R.S. are to be allowed to keep; but would like to see a maximum weight laid down—poSsibly 6,400 tons.
The clause upon which the Association feel most strongly is that which provides for the ending of the levy on December 31 this year. it allows the whole of the proceeds of the Transport Fund to' be handed over to the British Transport Commission without question. -The Minister of Transport will not, have to produce detailed accounts, and unless action can be taken to ventilate the, matter, nobody will ever know whether the B.T.C. have, in fact, incurred a loss through denationalization. They may be given £12m, as a present.
It might be possible to put forward an amendment which would compel the Minister to account for the money paid over, but, failing that, the only hope of obtaining further information is through pressure during the debate.
Prospects for Partnership No fault is found with Clause 2, which provides for the sale of companies as going concerns and the offering of shares in small lots. This clause opens the way for partnership between B.R.S. and private enterprise in transport companies, notably the parcels organization and the meat transport undertaking. The R.H.A. have never liked such an arrangement, but I understand their attitude is now that half a loaf is better than none.
It is unlike ly that an acceptable offer will at present be received for the shares of B.R.S. (Parcels), Ltd., and the lack of provision in the new Bill for this eventuality is regarded as most unsatisfactory. If the company's business is not sold, another amending Bill will have to be promoted to alter the maximum number of vehicles which B.R.S.
are to be allowed to retain. The Association are not, I believe, in favour of breaking up the parcels network into regional companies.
Although they are not likely, to promote an amendment for the purpose. the Association would like all B.R.S. contract-hire vehicles, most of which are running under free A licences, to be placed at once under contract A
B32 licences, instead of when existing contracts are renewed.
I understand that B.R.S. have been making five-year contracts, with the option to end them after three years. The charges are tapered and are lower towards the end of the five years, so that there is little encouragement to the trader to exercise his three-year option.
Although the B.T.C. have been extremely evasive in notifying the R.H.A. of the numbers of contracts ended and of the vehicles involved, private-enterprise operators have succeeded in taking over some of the expired agreements.
RECORDS: £142 FINES
'TINES totalling £142 were imposed 1 upon Barchards, Ltd., West Dock Street, Hull, timber merchants and hauliers, by Hull magistrates after the company pleaded guilty to 27 summonses in respect of drivers' hours and records. Defendants asked for another 18 offences to be taken into consideration. Costs of £21 were awarded.
SIX MONTHS FOR FUEL FRAUD STATED to have obtained 761 gallons. h.-/ of petrol and 60 pints of oil, valued in total at £159, by false pretences, David Gibson Dougall, lorry driver, Lawmoor Street, Glasgow, was imprisoned for six months by Penrith magistrates last week.
Dougall admitted three charges and asked for a further 36 to be taken into consideration.
BLS. CASE POSTPONED
UEARING of an application by L I. British Road Services to add 37 vehicles and nine trailers to the A licence held in respect of the base at Searles Road, London, S.E.1, has been postponed until March. The Metropolitan Licensing Authority was to have held an inquiry on Monday this week.
Joint Action on Wages Coming ?
A LTHOLIGH British Road Services 1-1 and the Road Haulage Wages Council this week considered separately applications by the workers' side for increased wages, it is possible that the next claim may be heard jointly. Efforts are being made to bring the State undertaking and private-enterprise operators more closely together in dealing with wages.
Yesterday, the Wages_ Council heard for the -first, time a demand for an increase in wages of 15s. a week, and of 2s. 6d. a night in subsistence allowance. It is understood that the claim was lodged on the grounds of ?„-i advance in the cost of living and of greater prosperity in the industry.
It was thought unlikely that the Wages Council would reach agreement at yesterday's meeting, and, in any event, it is doubtful whether the full claim would be conceded. B.R.S. have already considered a similar application and were thought to be likely to make a firm offer at a meeting on Wednesday.
Although the prospects of an-increase in the speed limit for heavy goods vehicles from 20 m.p.h. to 30 m.p.h. are regarded as more hopeful, an advance in wages will not bring, the day nearer.
N.U.R. JOIN TWO UNIONS IN NEGOTIATING BID
THE National Union of Railwaymen I have joined with the National and Local Government Officers' Association and the National Association of Clerical and Supervisory Staffs (a subsidiary of the Transport and General Workers' Union) in a renewed attempt to persuade bus companies—mainly . those in the B.E.T. and Tilling groups —to join in the establishment of national negotiating machinery for clerical, supervisory, administrative and technical staffs.
The N.U.R. represent some bus clerical and administrative staffs.
After a meeting of officers of the three uhions on January 5, both groups were asked to meet the unions for preliminary discussions on February 1, 6 or 8.
According to a statement issued by the unions this week, it was pointed out that the time was overdue when "the generally accepted principles of good industrial relations should be accorded to this section of the industry—the only section not at present catered for by national negotiating machinery."
[Nalgo and the T.G.W.U. have been trying for more than three years to persuade companies to establish joint negotiating machinery for their non-manual employees] At the request of the British Trans
port Commission's legal department, the hearing by the. Industrial Disputes Tribunal of a pay dispute between Nalgo and the T.G.W.U. and Crosville Motor Services, Ltd., has been put back from January 13 to February 2