BRS seeks 'substantially' higher rates
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from a special correspondent British Road Services Ltd. is understood to be presenting customers with well-supported claims for a substantial increase in rates. At present, I believe, the claim for higher charges is being made only by the general haulage company itself, and does not include parcels or special traffics carried by other BRS group companies.
This claim comes only a few weeks after British Railways increased some of its Freightliner rates, and many private hauliers have in recent weeks been seeking higher charges, designed in the main to cover the recent 5c1 increase in fuel tax but also to make good some of the other cost increases which have occurred since the last general approach to customers which followed the Budget in March 1968.
It is almost certainly coincidence that this claim is being pressed within two or three weeks of BRS being made part of the new National Freight Corporation; and it comes as no surprise, especially in view of the statement by BRS's new managing director (CM January 3) that the State haulage group's costs had risen by over 35 per cent in three years—an increase which has certainly not been matched by rates rises, nor fully covered by productivity moves.
The previous BRS rates increase was made last November—a surcharge of about 2 per cent to offset higher fuel costs.