Equity for Road Transport
Page 37
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE inequity of the treatment of road hauliers under the Road and Rail Traffic Act, to which reference is made by " Dogged " in a letter published in this issue, most certainly exists. It is not, perhaps, correct, as he seems to suggest, that only the little man suffers therefrom. It is felt by all who are engaged in the road-transport industry, whether they be great or small. It is true, however, that the effects are likely to be more tragic and more noticeable in the case of the small operator, who, in losing a little, may lose all.
The cause is not far to seek. It arises from the too-generous use by the Licensing Authorities of the powers they have been given to judge what is in the public interest and, under those powers, the interpretation that they put upon the original clauses of the Act of limiting what we believe, and were given to understand, were the original intentions of those who brought the Act into being.
In the beginning there was no intention to specify, in respect of an A licence, the route, or routes, over which an operator nmst run. We were definitely given that assurance at the time when the Act and its meaning were explained to the Press. Moreover, in the original questionnaire put to all claimants for A licences the only query, germane to this issue, was: "What is the address of (each) base or centre from which you will usually use the vehicle(s)? "
The intention, thus so clearly disclosed, is that applicants should be limited, only in so far as the granting of the licence for which they asked was concerned, to operation from existing headquarters or depots. There was no mention of routes to be followed, class of goods to be carried or customers for whom the operator intended to work.
It is imperative, if the industry, and the individuals engaged in it are to be given any sort of security of tenure, that this grievance should be remedied. Reversion to the status quo ante recent decisions is clearly impracticable. The reform needed to put right these defects and Many others arising from the same cause is that A licences should be made permanent and only revocable in the event of the licensees conducting themselves in any manner showing that they are not fit and proper persons to hold such licences.