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R.H.A. Negotiations on Bill Continue

14th November 1952
Page 34
Page 34, 14th November 1952 — R.H.A. Negotiations on Bill Continue
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

P.V.O.A. Disappointed : A.B.C.C. Tribute to Political Courage : T.R.T.A. Objects to Levy • .

THE Road Hnolage.:AIsociation will continue to negotiate with the

Minister o rt on the new Transport Bill, although the points to be press • not yet been decided. The negotiating committee,

when it met-list week, had not had time to study the revised Bill and could reach :no conclusions. it is understood that the committee will meet again next Tuesday if the Minister is ready to receive it about that time.

A statement issued after last week's meeting welcomed the specifying of the date when the 25-mile limit will be removed, and the decision to drop the proposal to meet railway losses from the levy. The Association may press for "freedom day ". to be advanced and for the permit situation to be clarified.

Few strong reactions to the revised Bill have been expressed. Spokesmen of most organizations told " The Commercial Motor" that the changes it contained, compared with the earlier measure, merited little or no alteration in their previous observations, although they welcomed the definition of a date for the removal of the 25-mile limit and the deletion of the railway-subsidy element from the levy.

The Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association expressed disappointment that the new Bill made no provision for dealing with matters which had been the subject of representations to the Minister' and will continue to press for amendments. The Association regretted that no obligation was laid upon the British Transport Commission to dispose of its Controlling interests in some 40 road passenger transport undertakings; that:: the London Transport Executive was not prevented from operating anywhere in the country; that it should be part of the Commission's duty to provide services outside London; and that the L.T.E. should be • permitted to undertake certain contract work outside its area..

Removers Consider the Bill

The National Association of Furniture Warehousemen and Removers executive council met on Wednesday to give full consideration to the Bitl.

Attention to its provisions wilLalso be given at a forthcoming meeting of the Central Committee of Transport. Users, comprising r_epres.entatives of the -,

Federation of Br i ti Industries, National Union of Manufacturers, National Farmers' Union, Traders' Road Transport Association and the associates' committee. 'OP the. British ,

_•

” The discarding of .thcAiroviouti Bill and the substitution of WhaM,nectiainly an improved measure repreiHits "an act of political courage and stafesmanship which has not been . an Outitanctingi feature of government over the.goifl'::: war years," Said Mr. T. H. Summenirn, vice-president of the Association British Chambers of Commerce, at a luncheon, last week, which was attended by the Minister and the Hone' Secretary.

He followed this statement, however, • £32 by declaring that the impending operation of denationalization carried all the signs of being a crude piece of field surgery. Users experienced severe dislocation as British Road' Services were welded together and it was obvious that the speedier disintegration of B.R.S. would certainly occasion similar results.

"industry and commerce cannot withstand indefinitely these constant upheavals if they are to serve the nation well in the vital rearmament and export programmes," said Mr. Summerson. "We maintain that the experience of B.R.S. has shown there are services which can best be given by a larger and co-ordinated road haulage unit—I refer particularly to long-distance trunking and the full loads of general haulage. This assumes added importance when the desirability of road-rail co-ordination is considered and we do not despair of a future measure of such co-operation." He reaffirmed the Association s opposition to the principle of the levy.

The Minister stressed that the Government would not be averse to considering amendrnents to the Bill on the floor of the House of Commons. "In any rectification of. serious upheavals," he stated, "difficulties are bound to be encountered."

The Traders' Road Transport Association has declared that its objection in principle to the levy has not been m4f by the modification of its purpose. Even in its lithited form, the levy would be an .objectionable and dangerous precedent for which there was no justification. • Protection for Railways • The National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses said that the Bill had been altered not so much to improve the conditions of denationalization for road haulage as:to protect the railways and disarm certain opponents. The extension of B.T.C. fleets, the proposed entry of the railways into a rate-cutting war with road transport and the long delay in lifting the 25-mile limit all seemed designed to that end.

It was unfair to maintain the 25-mile limit until the end of 1954, because during that period, the restricted haulier would be compelled to contribute to the levy without any alternative way of earning this contribution. To reinstate the original-permit system would at least help hauliers to begin to reorganize their businesses more on their original lines.


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