Late Hiring Presents Misleading Picture of Available Facilities
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A MISLEADING picture of available -facilities was presented when d--1 hauliers, who telephoned at night to hire vehicles for the next morning, produced schedules in court purporting to show hiring difficulties. This was submitted to Mr. C. R. Hodgson, East Midland Licensing Authority, at Nottingham last week, by objectors to an application by J. Watts and Sons (Contractors), Ltd., to transfer six C-licensed vehicles—five tippers and one platform lorry—to B licence, with conditions, :` building and road-making materials within 35 miles of the Council House, Nottingham."
For the applicants, Mr. A. C. G. Rothera said that they operated 14 longdistance vehicles on A licence, and 43 local vehicles on B licence. Turnover on local work had increased so much that they were unable to give satisfactory service, particularly with tippers and "fiats" in the 5-6-ton class.
Mr. G. H. Watts, a director, said that turnover had risen from £167,789 in the year ended March 31, 1959, to £201,400 in the past financial year. There had been great difficulty in hiring and none of the objectors had been able to offer vehicles of the type required.
Questioned by Mr. Timmins, for the British Transport Commission, in connection with a second application to add "coal to electric power stations" to the conditions of seven B-licensed vehicles, each of which could carry road and building materials, Mr. Watts said that they were 8-9-tonners which were not suitable for the type of work that. the 5-6-tonners would do if the application were granted.
"Organize Sub-contracting" Referring to the hiring schedules, Mr. G. Simms, objecting, submitted that the proper way to obtain hired transport was to organize sub-contracting and offer regular work. Late requests for vehicles, without any information on rates, were unlikely to be successful.
After supporting evidence of. need from the Stanton Iron Works, Ltd., Mills Scaffolding Co., Ltd., Norstal and Templewood (Hawkesley), Ltd., and .Butterworth and Partners, Ltd., Mr. J. Whitby, for Geo. Davis (Haulage), Ltd., said that it .did not justify six vehicles with a 35-mile radius.The objectors, however, did not deny. that building work in the .area was booming and that they
• contemplated seeking extra vehicles. Another objector, Mr. G. W. Miller, transport manager, Huskinson and Sons, Ltd., produced schedules showing that his company had hired 215 vehicles in November, 160 in December, 118 in January, 136 in February, 193 in March and 252 'during April.
• During the past nine months their subcontracting to the applicants amounted to. £31, but they had spent £295 in using Watts' vehicles. He agreed there' was a need for more 'transport, but additional vehicles should be spread over all the local operators.
The B.T.C. offered no evidence to support their objection.
Mr. Hodgson commented that it was B4 odd that Buskinson's had been able to obtain Watts' vehicles, but not vice versa. However, it was clear that there was some need for additional vehicles and the evidence justified five.
Objections to the second application to add to the conditions of seven B-licensed vehicles were withdrawn after Watts amended the condition to read " slurry" in place of "coal."
MR. NELSON NOT IMPRESSED BY OBJECT'ORS
ASUBMISSION that the earnings of vehicles in the fleet of S. and M. Streets Transport, Ltd., Watchet, Somerset, showed no increase, failed to impress Mr. S. W. Nelson, Western Licensing Authority, when the company were granted two additional articulated vehicles on A licence, at Taunton, last week.
British Road Services, objecting, claimed that only one vehicle should be granted, to replace hiring. Mr. T. D. Corpe, for Streets, said that the hiring figure for last year -was £7,633. The company were at present operating four vehicles on A licence, five on B licence and two on contract-A to the Wensborough Paper Co., Ltd.
Supporting the application, Mr. John Oliver, transport manager of the Wansborough Paper Co., Ltd., said that they operated 12 vehicles on C licence, but half their work was done by hauliers.
Mr. Victor George Watson, manager of R. Somerville and Co., Ltd., paper manufacturers, Creech St. Michael, said they would be giving Streets new business valued at £3,000. Their' work had been done previously by Cusick Transport (Southern) Ltd., Parkstone, but that company had changed to parcel traffic. They had used B.R.S. in the past when Cusick sub-contracted work.
PUMP MAINTENANCE SERVICE A MAINTENANCE service for fuel PI pumps installed by fleet operators has been introduced by E. and E. Pump Services, Ltd., Limes .Place, Limes Road, Croydon, For a fixed fee their engineers will make four routine checks and adjustments per year. The company will also install new and rebuilt pumps.
I.M.I. SUMMER STUDIES THE summer school of the institute of
the Motor Industry, is to be held this year at Queens' College, Cambridge. between August 12-19. Fail details of the programme are obtainable from the education officer of the institute at 40 Queen's Gate, London. S.W.7.