B.T.C. Act "Like Naughty Little Boys "
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WHEN the British Transport Corn mission objected to a haulier's application at Preston, last week, they were accused of acting "like naughty little boys." Mr. J. A. Dunkerley, for the haulier. Mr. S. Brown, Preston, said the B.T.C. consistently ignored the onus put upon objectors, and opposed applications even when they knew they could not do the work themselves.
Mr. Brown was seeking a 7-ton vehicle On A licence to replace his 5-ton lorry on special A and in substitution for a contract A licence.
Mr. Dunkerley said that Mr. Brown had held a contract A licence since 1955 with the Shap Granite Co., Ltd, Prior to that he had worked for them on C hire. A change from bagged to bulk cement carried by tanker had resulted in a 'reduction of £1,000 in the work for Shan Granite during the past year. The cement was now being carried by rail_ The work of the special-A and contract vehicles was seasonal, and he now wanted to do it all on the larger vehicle. Although there would be an increase of 4 tons in A-licence carrying capacity, the overall reduction would be 9 tons.
Replying to Mr. J. Booth. for the c-4 railways, Mr. W. Lewis, Shap Granite's transport manager, said they had 11 Cand two A-licence vehicles of their own, with 24 on contract. Their output had dropped by 25 per cent, during the past six months and they would give an undertaking not to replace the contract vehicle. Mr. Brown would do the same work he was doing now.
Mr. Booth submitted that there was no evidence to justify a bigger vehicle on A licence. Shap Granite only wanted to get rid of their contract vehicles because of a decline in business. They had a pool of vehicles to draw on and were not in need of additional public haulage. A grant would increase the carrying capacity of a special A licence by 50 per cent.
Granting the application, Mr. L. H. Shelton, acting North Western Licensing Authority, said he was satisfied that the A-licence vehicle would be employed to a great extent by Shap Granite.
• SOUTH WALES MOVE •
THE South Wales divisional office of the National Benzoic Co., Ltd., has been moved to Devonshire Ilduse, Greyfriars Road. Cardiff.