Tipper shortage up North

13th September 1968, Page 101

13th September 1968

Page 101

Page 101, 13th September 1968 — Tipper shortage up North

Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

• John Hodge (Hauliers) Ltd., of Newtown St. Boswells, had an application for a Blicence for eight vehicles of 42 tons (tippers) reserved in Edinburgh on Monday. Intention was to carry agricultural lime fertiliser and slag for Harrison's Limeworks Ltd. in the Scottish Traffic Area and evidence was led by Mr. Robert Sinton, transport manager of that company, that a chronic shortage of tipper vehicles existed in the North of England. Mr. Sinton had phoned every haulier in the Northumbrian directory in an effort to get assistance; 85 per cent of those contacted had been unable to assist for lack of proper vehicles or appropriate licences; of the remainder, about seven firms had been able to assist in emergencies. But he needed as many as 20 vehicles to meet a shortage of such service and was supporting the application by Hodge for that reason. His firm would give guaranteed work over 12 months for the proposed eight B-licence vehicles between Harrison's, Northern Hiring and Western Spreaders, its associates. A Contract A would not be suitable, Mr. Sinton said. because of the position of subsidiaries.

Mr. John Sanderson, secretary of the applicant company, said that his firm had taken over the business in the early part of this year and was in process of changing to a new maintenance garage. It was proposing eight completely new vehicles suited to lime carrying and spreading work and fully appreciated the limitations and responsibilities involved in the proposed licence. It had been made mainly at the instigation of the customer company which had actually wanted 20 vehicles.

Mr. A. B. Birnie, LA for the Scottish area, prefaced this hearing by pointing out that there had been a report on the maintenance of the company's vehicles which he had not had time to go into fully; in view of this he could not reach a decision on the present application and must delay taking action until he had studied the report and determined what line of action was required.

An assurance was given by the applicant that active steps were being taken to correct any shortcomings which had been inherited. The firm was re-equipping its maintenance garage, had orderid four new vehicles as replacements and was following the Advisory Committee programme. Mr. Birnie reserved decision.