Support Pledged for C-Licensees T HE future of C-licence holders and
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certain aspects of the grouping movement were discussed at the 47th annual conference of the National Chamber of Trade, which was held at • Blackpool, last week. About 500 delegates attended.
Mr. D. Bernard Morgan, on behalf of the Board of Management, moved: " That this conference pledges support for the declaration of the British Road Federation that it will resist any attempt to impair the rights of ancillary users of road transport as enjoyed 'before the war."
C-licence holders, he said,. represented 70 to 75 per cent, of the total number of A, B and C-Uence holders. They could be divided into two classes —industrialists and retailers. Industrialists represented about 20 per cent, and retailers 80 per cent., so that retailers operated 55 to 60 per cent. of the total number of C-licensed vehicles. The significance of theSe figures was not overlooked by both road and rail interests, which were casting covetous eyes on the traffic carried by the Clicence holders. Hence, suggestions were being put forward to restrict their
rights. These suggestions, at present, were nebulous and indefinite, but evidence was available of the type of restriction that was most likely to materialize.
Arguments had been advanced that this war had proved the vital necessity to this country of both road and rail transport. It was being -contended that these systems should be made a national concern, and for that purpose a rates structure should be brought into being by agreement between the railways and the A and B-licence holders, with the object of making transport a paying concern for both parties. Those who advocated this felt that their scheme could not be successful unleSs they restricted the rights of.
C-licence holderS, •
Amongst the various types of restriction which had been proposed were:— (a) There should be no C licences at all; present C-licensees should be compelled to use the services of A and 'B-licensed hauliers or the railways; (h) C-licensed vehicles should be restricted to an operating radius of 25 miles; .1,c) they should be used to convey only the retailer's own goods, and retailers Were not to Use any other, forms of transport.
Councillor L. Lyle (London), who seconded, said that the resolution was of great Importance to all traders who used their own delivery vans, especially as the drivers were employed on other services connected with the respective businesses. The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. Richard Taylor (Stourbridge) moVed a resolution viewing with alarm the formation of groups of the consumer public, such as the " grouping of small road hauliers," as such groupings were considered to be detrimental to the interests of the retail trade. The conference was asked to request the appiopriate trade organizations to discourage their members from supplying such groups on other than normal retail terms..
Mr. Taylor said that, as a result .ot grouping, consumers would shortcircuit the retail motor trade when buying small parts. . If the movement be allowed to spread it might result in some motor traders having to close down, to be replaced by garages operated by groups.