Transport Surplus Depressing Rates
Page 35
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TRANSFER of vehicles from B to A licence would be dangerous because there was already a surplus of transport in Hull and rates were going down. Mr. H. Hunter, managing director, Hunter's of Hull Transport and Warehousing, Ltd., said this at Bridlington last week when his company opposed a transfer application.
Maj. F. S. Eastwood, Yorkshire Licensing Authority, continued hearing the case of S. A. Bell, Ltd., Malton, to switch three vehicles of 12 tons from B to A licence. The earlier proceedings were reported in The Commercial Motor dated December 11, 1959.
Bell's vehicles were regularly operated in the Hull area although they were based in Malton, continued Mr. Hunter. Bell's A-licensed fleet had increased by 13 tons in the past 2+ years, and further addition would cause abstraction, he claimed.
Mr. Hunter agreed, under cross examination, that between 1954-59 his company had been granted many Blicence variations involving increased radii and better conditions. He pointed out that his objections were to a transfer and not unification of conditions.
For the independent objectors, Mr. P. Kenny submitted that Bell were seeking a valuable asset, but the supporting documentation was "shoddy." The only certified figures presented were gross haulage earnings and hiring figures for 12 months. This was not sufficient to establish a prima facie case.
The principle involved, added Mr. A. W. Balne, for the British Transport Commission, who also objected, was parallel with that in the Phillips appeal.
In this case the Transport Tribunal had reversed a decision of the Yorkshire Licensing Authority who had transferred five vehicles from B to A licence.
Maj. Eastwood on Monday announced the refusal of the application.