ROLL-ON ROLL-OFF
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CONTINUES TO EXPAND
BY R. H. INSOL
ERD FCIS AM inst. TA Head of International Services RHA DURING the past year or so the political and
economic difficulties facing the road haulage industry have tended to obscure one encouraging feature—the steady growth of roll-on/roll-off traffic to the Continent.
With the current dearth of authoritative statistics in this field it is hard to assess accurately the rate of development but the trend is highlighted in "Through Transport to Europe", the report published by the Economic Development Committee for the Movement of Exports.
It estimated that in April 1966 the tonnage moving by roll-on/roll-off had reached an annual rate of at least 500,000 tons. Many experts would consider this a conservative assessment and there is every evidence of an acceleration in traffic since the publication of the report.
A further indication of growth is the number of additional ferries that have opened up in the past 12 months, for example, the ArgoWashbay line from King's Lynn to Hamburg and the Swedish Lloyd service from Southampton to Bilbao which provides space for trailers and lorries in addition to its normal container facilities.
Bilateral Agreements
In circles outside transport there tends to be a common misapprehension that the success of roll-on/roll-off traffic must be closely affected by this country's position vis-a-vis the European Economic Community. While this may be correct in certain respects, there is no doubt that to a major degree the failure to join the Community in 1963 (and the doubts as to the success of current negotiations) has had no detrimental effect whatsoever on the rate of acceleration of the traffic. Part of the credit for this is undoubtedly due to the Ministry of Transport who seized the initiative in 1965 by entering into formal discussions with all the EEC countries in' order to safeguard the interest of our hauliers in the light of the probable development of the Community quota.
In addition to the Six, bilateral transport agreements are being concluded with Austria, Denmark. Sweden and Switzerland. These agreements are, of course, intended primarily to legislate for transport by rigids and complete outfits, but at the same time they cover the important question of semi-trailers which account for some 85 per cent of present Anglo-Continental movements. In particular, full consideration has been given to the special value of Anglo-Dutch and Anglo-Belgian semitrailer collaboration.
Our position in this respect is recognized by the Austrian, French, and West German authorities who have undertaken that British interests shall be ' represented, where necessary, in any negotiations on the revision of quotas between their countries and Belgium and the Netherlands.
Growth of rigids
Over the past year or so a further noticeable trend has been the switch from the traditional semi-trailer method of operation. Although the bulk of the traffic is still effected by unaccompanied semi-trailers there has been an appreciable increase in the number of powered units moving ex-UK.
This feature has been the subject of comment by one or two of the ferry lines and there are various reasons which may account for the trend. A frequent complaint is the high rate of deterioration of semitrailers. Hauliers who have converted to their own powered outfits maintain that the unaccompanied trailer receives careless handling by Continental hauliers.
There have also been reports of "cannibalisation" and pilfering of couplings, etc. on both sides of the Channel and the North Sea.
In other cases Continental carriers are accused of "playing the market". This results not only in uneven differential rates for towing but also in delays so that a semitrailer can take on some routes considerably longer to complete a round trip than a rigid or attic with a British driver in complete charge throughout the transit. A further factor is documentation—TIR carnets and other documents are mislaid by Continental operators and the overall efficiency of export/ import documentation tends to be greater when it is kept under one single control.
Documentation
Documentation is, in fact, one of the main deterrents to would-be international carriers.
New entrants find it difficult to adjust themselves to the export/impart implications and the paper work associated with TIR carnets, carnets de passage, and CMR. Larger and more sophisticated firms may be able to set up their own shipping departments.
The smaller man, however, must handle documentation on his own although he may choose to seek assistance in port clearance from a shipping and forwarding agent. In broad outline, the following is the documentation which is involved:
Export procedure
(i) Copy invoices (the number of copies required will depend on the destination. Translation should be provided).
Ili) Exchange control Form CD6 if the export value exceeds £2,000.
Iiii) TIR Carnet hf applicable).
(iv) Additional documentation depending on the nature and destination of the consignment—export licence, duty drawback entry, temporary exportation entry, certificate of origin, EFTA declaration (from exporter). 0
(v) CMR Consignment Note. . . . and importing
As regards import documentation, the most common entry form is Form XS107 which is used for all goods subject to "ad valorem" duty and entered for home use. Other common forms are C105 to be used where duty is to be paid on goods exceeding £100 in value, and PT26 for purchase tax purposes.
The initiative for Customs clearance rests with the importer or his agent. Nevertheless, it is useful to have a broad knowledge of the procedure and hauliers may wish to obtain from their local Customs office a copy of Notice No. 461 "General Information for Importers".
Customs Notice No. 463 also contains much information about entry procedures. Both these publications can be obtained free of charge. It will be appreciated that return loads also necessitate completion of TIR carnets and CMR Consignment Notes.
For hauliers intending to send their own vehicles and drivers right through to the Continental destination a number of items require careful planning. The first step is to obtain from the RHA or TRTA details of the appropriate shipping services and the taxes and regulations applicable in the countries through which it is proposed to run. Both organizations provide comprehensive advice on all facets of international transport inculding TIR. CMR, insurance, and costing.
The RHA can also place its members in contact with Dutch, Belgian, German, French and Spanish firms for the purpose of semitrailer operation on a reciprocal basis.
Guidance as to the most suitable routes can usually be obtained from the regional offices of the AA or the RAC. In this connection, it must be remembered that some countries (notably Italy, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland and the Federal Republic of Germany) impose partial or complete bans on the movement of heavy goods vehicles on public roads on Sundays and -public holidays". The scope of "public holidays" can be defined on inquiry at the Embassy of the country concerned or by the motoring associations or the RHA or TRTA.
It is generally necessary to obtain beforehand a permit to operate from the foreign authorities. This can take 10-14 days to secure, although as a result of the recent simplification of the licensing procedure for Continental carriers entering Great Britain a reciprocal relaxation of the authorization procedure has been introduced by France, Austria, Belgium and the Federal Republic of Germany. No authorization for normal loads is needed in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Once the bilateral agreements have been concluded the British haulier will be able to obtain his permit from the Ministry of Transport in London, and in some cases no permit at all will be required.
Road taxes
Except in some of the Eastern bloc countries, visas are not generally required, but the driver will, of course, need a valid passport.
It is also necessary to provide him with a letter in English and French or German authorizing him to be in charge of the vehicle and to sign declarations on behalf of his employer. The driver must also be provided with sufficient foreign currency to pay for food and accommodation (say £5 to £6 a day).
Lists of internationally recommended transport hotels are supplied by the RHA/TRTA for Benelux, Federal Republic of Germany and Berlin, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Spain.
The currency must also be sufficient to meet vehicle and transport taxes normally settled by the purchase of tax cards at the point of entry into the country. Generally speaking, these are not a major item of costs but the positron is somewhat complicated by the fact that some countries levy a single tax and others both a vehicle tax and a trans port tax. In Belgium, for example, foreign vehicles must pay a vehicle tax at the following rates: Diesel engined vehicles over 10t loading capacity: 1 day B. Frs. 630.— 2 days B. Frs. 630.
3 days B. Frs. 1.260.—
4days B.Frs. 2.520.—
There is also a turnover tax based on 7 per cent on turnover for the distance run in Belgian territory. Unless the foreign carrier has a responsible representative officially accepted by the "Administration Beige de l'Enregistrement et des Domaines" the following inclusive rate has to be paid: For a lorry, a trailer and an articulated vehicle B.Frs. 400.—
For a lorry with trailer B.Frs. 800.—
These sums are payable on exit by a vehicle laden with goods which entered empty, and on entry and on exit if it entered laden and returned abroad with a load picked up in Belgium.
The Austrians also levy two taxes. The vehicle tax is 15 schillings a day and the transport tax is on the following scale: For the first 30 ton/kilometres . . 10 groschen 3165 ton/kilometres . 80 groschen 66-130 ton/kilometres . 30 groschen 131-200 ton/kilometres . 20 groschen 201-400 ton/kilometres . 5 groschen over 400 ton/kilometres. . 2 groschen At the other extreme, Switzerland, the most "liberal" country as regards road transport, levies no taxes on foreign carriers.
A disturbing trend in taxation has been initiated by France which limits the amount of tax-free fuel that can be taken into the country in the tank. Germany has recently followed this pattern by fixing a limit of 50 litres.
Driving regulations
British driving licences are recognized in most European countries but information can be obtained from the RHA/TRTA on those countries (e.g. Spain) where an international driving licence is necessary. It is important to note that Italy requires two drivers for an artic.
British drivers must, in general, observe the laws abroad on hours of driving and keeping of records, although the degree of enforcement varies considerably.
Most West European countries which require record forms accept the British "log book" as an equivalent of their own forms and, in turn, our Ministry of Transport recognizes their records.
With the exception of Sweden and Finland, maximum permitted driving time tends to be less than at present applicable in this country. The following provides a representative sample of the national regulations: Sweden: A professional driver generally has to have a half-hour break after five hours' driving, subject to a maximum driving time of 11 hours in 24.
Austria: The law allows a maximum of 8 hours' driving in any period of 24 hours with 30 minutes rest after every 44' hours.
Western Germany: The hours of work permitted vary according to the size of the vehicle.
For heavy vehicles of over 7.5 metric tons unladen, or for tractors of over 55 h.p., the shift must not last more than 9 hours, with a half-hour rest after 41 hours.
Belgium: No driver shall drive a vehicle continuously for more than 5 hours. The total driving time for any driver shall not exceed 9 hours in any period of 24 hours except in the case of "force majeure".
TIR advantages
The advantages of the TIR scheme are now so well known that no comment is required here. For regular runs involving more than one Continental country it is virtually essential to operate under TIR. The procedure for entering the scheme is quite simple. The first stage is to have the vehicle inspected by the local LA who issues a GV60. Application is then made to the RHATIRTA for issue of carnets and the carrier must sign and complete the two guarantee forms required by IRU. It is perhaps not sufficiently recognized that both the RHA and TRTA administer the TIR system in this country as agents of (RU in Geneva. The standards which these two associations require of carriers as regards documentation, etc. are the same all over Europe.
It may be added that a stricter attitude in this respect has recently been shown by I RU and this is likely to be heightened with the extension of inland clearance facilities by HM Customs. Full advice on TIR procedure, including instruction sheets for drivers, are supplied by the RHA and TRTA. One final point on documentation concerns the international consignment note required under the provisions of the Convention on the International Carriage of Goods by Road, generally known as the CMR Convention. This Convention has been ratified by a number of countries, for example, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Jugoslavia, Poland, and formal ratification by HMG is expected to be complete by about the end of September. The effect will be that whenever a load is taken by road from this country to the Continent, the contract of carriage and insurance requirements must conform with the provisions of the Convention. It will be noted that goods cannot be carried on international runs "subject to RHA conditions".
In addition, the British haulier must use a special type of consignment note prescribed by the Convention. Copies of this note are available from the RHA head office at 6d per set. CMR has no application to C licensed traffic. A further point of importance is the insurance requirements of the Convention which involve a maximum liability of £3,000 per ton.
More and more hauliers are entering roll-on/ roll-off because they are acutely aware that they can no longer afford to stay out. Our commercial links with Europe grow closer all the time with a corresponding increase in traffic demand. It is encouraging to note that the day of the small haulier is by no means over as regards international transport. It is probably true to say that the small to medium sized firms outnumber the large in this field. Many of them are relatively unknown outside roll-on/ roll-off. Others have built up successful enterprises in two to three years with no previous experience of road transport.
Although the standards of expertise are necessarily demanding the rewards are considerable. The future still offers plenty of promise and the present signs are that British international operators may soon rival the Dutch in efficiency and scope of operation.