Mr. Ingram Soothes Removers
Page 49
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REMOVERS' fears about the policy of the Road Haulage Association concerning normal user were "not wellfounded." This was stated by Mr. R. N. Ingram, national chairman of the R.H.A., at the annual dinner of the National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers in Bournemouth last week.
As reported in The Commercial Motor dated May 6, Mr. F. F. Babb, outgoing N.A.F.W.R. president, had said that the N.A.F.W.R. executive council had agreed that A licences unrestricted by normaluser terms would harm the removals industry.
Mr. Ingram said that in one Traffic Area events had raised fears that a normal A licence would become worth no more than a B. but these had largely been allayed.
He was certain that most R.H.A. members would not vote for A licences completely free of any restrictions.
In a statement to The Commercial Motor on Monday, Mr. E. W. Russell, acting chief executive officer of the R.H.A.. denied that there was any dispute between his Association and the N.A.F.W.R. on normal user.
"It is true that the licensing committee of the R.H.A. has carried out an appraisal of the effects of the licensing system and has examined the conception and implications of normal user," he said.
The mere intention to carry out that examination seems to have led to the assumption that the R.H.A. would inevitably press for the removal of the Licensing Authorities' requirements as to normal user. In fact, no proposals have been made by the R.H.A. on this subject.
"In general, fears 'that normal user relating to an A licence would have the restrictive effects of the conditions of a B licence have not been realized. It does not follow, however, that the R.H.A.'s concern in the matter has been entirely dispelled. Decisions of the Licensing Authorities and of the Transport Tribunal continue to be examined from the Association's point of view that, so far as general traffics are concerned, A-licensees must be permitted reasonable flexibility in their operations."