Stage Set for Elimination of Railways—U.T.A. Report
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"1-FHE stage is about to be set by the Government for the ultimate and probable early elimination of virtually all the railways in Northern Ireland," says the report of the Ulster Transport Authority for the year ended September 30, 1956. It is forthright in criticism of the Government's proposal to return the road haulage section of the undertaking to private enterprise.
"Transfer of the irreducible overhead costs at present being borne by the road freight services to the road passenger and railway services would have the effect of rendering impossible the hoped-for improvements in the financial position that would result from the eventual rationalization of all the ser vices," it is stated. .
"The transport policy which has now been indicated may very well, eventually, leave'only a public road passenger system, and even that may not possibly continue on a long-term basis, and certainly not without a good deal of public opposition; Northern Ireland would then be in the singular position of being without any system of organized public transport."
Rail Modernization Urgent Need for modernizing the railways was paramount, and if left with existing rights and powers. the U.T.A. was confident that it could eventually provide adequate road and rail services and pay its way.
Combined results of all sections of the undertaking showed a trading loss for the year of £111,215, compared with a deficit of £187,068 in the previous 12 months—an improvement of £75,853. Transport activities lost £195,484 net. The railways lost £211,849, and road haulage £26,682, but road passenger services made a £43,047 profit. The accumulated deficiency stood at £2,494,225.
Rising labour costs were the greatest factor operating against the Authority's attainment of a balance between income and expenditure.
The report complains of an increasing amount of illegal hautage, particularly of livestock, by private operators.
The Authority had 708 lorries and private operators 24,360. U.T.A. vehicles covered 11.6m. miles and carried 1.3m. tons of goods and 873,598 head of livestock. The mileage and tonnage figures were higher than those of the previous year, but the livestock total was 252,742 lower.
Heavy haulage was expected to increase when,various new factories began production. Ferry traffic at Belfast and Larne had increased and 14,933 trailers and 8,300 containers had been handled compared with 12,284 and 6,088 respectively in 1954-55. Thirty new tractors, 58 semitrailers and three other vehicles were introduced into service for ordinary working, and 10 vehicles were built for special contracts. The nunaber . of vehicles used exclusively by traders was now 47.
In April, 1956, the direct collection of general goods in bulk lots for Belfast quay and the city was largely discontinued and articulated units were introduced. Semi-trailers were taken to a central forwarding point, so that there was an exchange of units. The scheme was working satisfactorily and would be extended. Some vehicles were being worked 24 hours a day.
U.T.A. buses covered 30.4m. miles and carried 92.3m. passengers, decreases of' 888,568 miles and 2.3m. passengers compared with the figures for 1954-55. Greater use of private cars, the provision of workers' transport 'facilities by certain companies and the effect of television on evening travel are given as reasons for the decline in traffic. Buses operated under private charter also covered fewer miles. In many cases hirers offset increased rates by reducing mileage.
Extended luxury tours, using U.T.A. hotels, were well patronized.
FIRESTONE AIR SPRINGS UBBER air springs are to be produced by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. at a new factory at Noblesville, Indiana, U.S.A., in July. The product will be marketed as under the name of Firestone Airide and will also be made to customers' specifications.
BIG REGISTRATION DROP
THE number of vehicles, other than cars and motorcycles, registered fm the first time in December, 1956, totalled 10,754, a drop of 4,622 compared with the previous month's figure. Details appear in the table below.
Wood Win Appeal : Eight More Tankers
OMPLETE success was secured last
week by Harold Wood and Sons, Ltd., Wormald Street, Heckmondwike, Yorks, in' their appeal to the Transport Tribunal against the decision of the Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority to grant them an A licence for' four tankers, instead of 12, as sought. At the conclusion of • the hearing, Mr: N. L. C. Macaskie, Q.C., acting president, said that the Authority would be.' directed to add eight' more vehicles' to
the licence: ..
The Tribunal's decision will be given more fully in writing later. As. reported in The Commercial Motor last week, the company have a large fleet of contract-A-licence vehicles and extra vehicles under A licence were said to be needed to cover peak periods and to serve as replacements for contract vehicles undergoing maintenance.
Mr. J. R. C. Samuel-Gibbon, for the British Transport Commission, the respondents, said that the company wanted the best of both worlds. .Shortterm licences should be used for peakperiod work.
CHANNEL LINK FOR FREE TRADE
NED) for a Channel tunnel was underlined by the proposal for a European common market, Mr. Reay Geddes, director of the Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., stated at the annual dinner of' the Birmingham Centre of the Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers; last week. "When the tariffs and quotas have gone, our goods must still get to market in Europe easily, quickly and as economically as our rivals," he explained.
LATEST PAY MOVES
DRIVERS in the building trade are receiving an extra 4s. a week as from February 4, and in the civilengineering industry another Id. an hour.
Meetings of the retail food and drapery councils have been considering increases of 15s. a week for adult males, the establishment of females' rates at 80 per cent. of males', and a reduction in the terminal age from 22 to 21 years.
Jan.-Dec.
5,100
The retail furnishing council are discussing a 14s. 6d. weekly rise for transport workers in London, 15s. in provincial area A, and 16s. in provincial area B.
The Transport and General Workers' Union seek a 15s. weekly rise for bread and flour-confectionery transport workers.
An application has been, submitted to British Oxygen Gases, Ltd., for an increase in transport workers' wages.