AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Q What is the trend in the number of goods vehicles

18th August 1967, Page 85
18th August 1967
Page 85
Page 85, 18th August 1967 — Q What is the trend in the number of goods vehicles
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

operating in Great Britain and are there any figures showing the breakdown relative to carrying capacity?

AAlthough there has been some improve

ment in the extent of official statistics concerning road transport, there are still gaps in the available information. In many statistics any breakdown in goods vehicles is usually on the basis of unladen weight and even then limited to broad categories particularly as regards the larger vehicles Statistics issued by the Minister of Transport show that in 1956 there were 1,173,311 goods vehicles on the road as compared with 1,568,050 in 1966. These were made up as follows (with 1966 figures in brackets): Unladen weight 1 ton and under, 469,754 (535,275); between 1 and 2 tons 224.642 (437,459); between 2 and 3 tons 339,143 (186,593); and over 3 tons 139,772 (408.723). Although the increase in the two smaller categories is appreciable, the validity of these figures relative to genuine road transport operators is confused by many of the vehicles concerned being used partly or even wholly for private transport.

A significant revelation is the increase in the number of vehicles with an unladen weight of over 3 tons—an increase in the ratio of nearly 3 :1. Some of this increase has arisen from the decrease in the next lower category, in part due to the increasing use of diesel engine vehicles. But there is an overall trend for operators to use larger vehicles in an endeavour to reduce the full effect of increased wages and other costs by the lower cost per ton-mile such vehicles provide.

Tags


comments powered by Disqus