B.T.C. to Fight Ministry Ruling on Short-terra Licences
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A RULING by the Ministry of Transport that British Railways must " obtain short-term licences if applications to exchange free A licences, which expired on April 30, had not been heard by that date, is to be strongly challenged by the British Transport Commission.
The Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority, Mr. J. H. A. Randolph, was told this at Leeds on Tuesday, when the Leeds, York, Hull and Middlesbrough railway districts of the North Eastern Region applied for public A licences for 1,110 vehicles and 804 trailers.
Mr. T. B. Atkinson, for the B.T.C., said they had been informed that as their licences were granted to them under the 1953 Act, they were not entitled to the protection of Section 3 (5) of the 1933 Act, and short-term licences must be issued and paid for.
British Railways were entirely blameless in the matter. Their applications were lodged in ample time and the hearings were staggered for the convenience of the Licensing Authority, who listed them after the expiry date. Short-term licences would cost between £500 and £600.
Administrative Difficulty Mr. Atkinson pointed out that by substitution, nearly 400 railway vehicles were already on A licence. If the views of the Treasury Solicitor on this matter were upheld, apart from the financial aspect, administrative difficulty would occur, because the licences would in future expire on different dates. The B.T.C. contended that short-term licences could not apply to renewals.
Referring to the cartage fleet in the North-East Region, Mr. James Smeddon, assistant commercial officer, York, said it also included 570 vehicles and 411 trailers in the Northern Area, the licences for which had already been granted.
They were asking for 202 vehicles and 182 trailers in the Hull district, 126 vehicles and 82 trailers in the York district, six vehicles in the Middlesbrough district, and 763 vehicles and 540 trailers in the Leeds district. The total decline of 97 vehicles and 56 trailers since 1953 was mainly due to a steady fall in traffic. Articulated outfits had been replaced by rigid vehicles for farm deliveries.
Common Normal User Mr. Atkinson submitted that the normal user, "general goods within 20 miles of base, mainly for rail-borne traffic," was the one put forward in all the railway regions.
The horsebox fleet, he added, was run as a separate business. They were asking for eight boxes at Malton, one at York and four at Leyburn. It was a difficult facility to operate, because of fluctuating demands and the trend for trainers to obtain their own licences since the Gray appeal was decided.
There was a reduction of three vehicles at Leyburn, and the base at Beverley had been abandoned. In 1957, 2,908 horses were carried and the mileage was 114,111, but traffic was steadily declining.
Mr. Randolph said he was not satisfied that he could deal with the short-term licence situation. There was a good deal of force in the B.T.C. contention and he hoped that they would take steps to have, the matter clarified. The applications would, be granted.
A special correspondent writes: Under the 1433 Act, provided an applicant has lodged his application before his licence expires, it will continue in force until his application is disposed of. Section 3 (5) protects the applicant, the granting of whose licence renewal is delayed through no fault of his own. Otherwise, from the date of expiry he would be guilty of unauthorized use of a licence.
If the Treasury ruling is upheld, the arguments applied to free A licences would apply also to special A licences, arid any haulier holding them may have to pay for a short-term licence because the Licensing Authority has failed to hear the renewal application before the expiry of the current licence. The position now is that an innocent applicant may be fined if a Licensing Authority falls into arrears with hearings.
EXCURSION CONDITION CHANGE IN ABEYANCE
AFTER United Automobile Services, Ltd., protested that they had not been consulted, the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners' proposal to vary the local conditions for excursions from Scarborough was adjourned at Bridlington last week.
Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for U.A.S., said that the request from the town clerk of Scarborough, for alterations in the routes and 'stopping places used for excursions, was the result of negotiations between the council and Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd. Neitlier his clients, who provided the stage services, nor the police had been approached.
Maj. F. S. Eastwood, chairman, stated that matters would be held in abeyance until the Commissioners had discussed the position with the town clerk and both operators:
NO CAMPING TOUR
A N application by Continental Camp ing Clubs, Stockport, for a new 14day tour to the French Riviera, on which passengers would camp at bight, has been refused by the North Western Traffic Commissioners. As The Commercial Motor reported last week, the partners in the venture had given up a greengrocery business to start it.
Surprise Development in London Strike
I N a statement on the London bus strike in the House of Commons on Tuesday. Mr. lain Macleod, Minister of Labour, said there did not seem to be any immediate prospect of a resumption of negotiations and he could not usefully intervene.
Then on Wednesday morning Mr. Frank Cousins, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, met Mr. Macleod and Sir Wilfred Neden. chief industrial commissioner at the Ministry. This surprise meeting was held at Mr. Cousins' request. On Wednesday afternoon he reported to the busmen's negotiating committee.
Negotiationa broke down again last week after London Transport had offered 8s. 6d, a week to central busmen from the date of resumption of work and to grant any increase awarded to country bus workers, after a review of their case on its merits, from July 2. The Transport and General Workers' Union insisted that the central busmen's incriase should be back-dated to March 12—the date of the Industrial Court's award—and that country bus operatives should be given an increase from the resumption of work.
On the advice of the Trades Union Congress, delegates of the London busmen decided by 71 votes to 60, last" Friday, not to take action to extend the strike. Nevertheless, on, Monday, some of the Underground workers absented themselves from duty in sympathy with the busmen.
Mr. Cousins told the annual conference of the power group of the Union at Brighton, on Monday, that the busmen would go back to work when they had won. He criticized the general conned of the T.U.C. for their failure to support an extension of the strike, and a resolution condemning the council's apathy towards the dispute was passed.
BID FOR WAGES MACHINERY
AN attempt is to be made by the National and Local Government Officers' Association, Transport and General Workers' Union and National Union of Railwaymen to set up national joint negotiating machinery for the supervisory and clerical employees of bus companies.
The unions were seeking an early meeting on the .subject with Sir Brian Robertson, chairman of the British Transport Commission, Mr. John Lancaster, Nalgo's national organizing officer for transport staffs, announced at a meeting in Douglas, on Monday.
COMMON CONDITIONS GRANTED THE Yorkshire Deputy Licensing
Authority,. Mr. J. H. A. Randolph, has granted an application by, Proctor's Transport, Ltd., Sheffield; for common conditions on 10 B-licence .vehicles" general goods, 25 miles; newspapers and periodicals within 40 iniles of Sheffield Post Office." The application (The Commercial Motor, May 16) was oppOsed by six hauliers and the British Transport Commission.