MR. GIBB EXAMINES TRANSPORT IN EUROPE
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THE individualism and initiative of the pioneers of the industry were fine qualities.
but we now had to harness these qualities to a sense of wider social responsibility in an industry which was quite clearly destined to carry an increasing share of landborne freight in the years to come. This comment on future trends in the road transport industry was made by Mr. T. G. Gibb, vice-chairman and managing director B.R.S. Federation Ltd., when presenting the Henry Spurrier Memorial Lecture to the Institute of Transport in London on Monday. His subject was: "The carriage of goods by road in Europe" and he dealt comprehensively with developments in the industry both in this country and on the Continent, including the advent of the roll-on/roll-off ferry services.
Expansion of ferry services has been appreciable and Mr. Gibb detailed the growth in the Irish services from 62,500 units (trailers and containers) in 1957 to 133,000 last year. Similarly, Continental services had carried 1,400 units in 1957 and 28,100 in 1963. Elsewhere in Europe, Mr. Ciibb added, changes had been even more marked. The diagrammatic map he produced showed 47 roll-on/roll-off services already operating in North West Europe or known developments in the future. Included in this total were six services to Scotland, three services operating to Northern Ireland and 10 services from England to the Continent. In the latter total are included the two proposed services from Hull and Felixstowe to Rotterdam.
In surveying the pattern of transport on the Continent Mr. Gibb showed that geography maintained the relationship between rail and road, with the result that the average length of hauls of freight by rail in France was 256 km. and in Western Germany 178 km. compared with only 111 km. in Great Britain.
Man's increasing reliance on carriage by road stemmed from the fact that the product of local craftsmen was no longer the only choice to the consumer. As the wealth of the nation grew so did man's consumption increase and diversify, leading to increased demands.
Natural developments could not be held back. Mr. Gibb insisted, and despite controls and restrictions road transport had been increasing its share of the total ton mileage in every European country and even in Eastern Europe. In Western Europe it now accounted for one-third of the total. In a table of the relative importance of railways, waterways, road and pipelines in selected European countries in 1962, the U.K. showed 63 per cent for road (based on ton-km.), Italy 72 per cent, whilst the Netherlands had only 14 per cent. The two Eastern European countries included in the table showed that road transport was limited to 5 per cent in Eastern Germany and 4 per cent in Poland. Despite measures taken by governments to protect railway traffic—even in countries such as France and Germany—road . transport was making an increasing contribution, with 30 per cent being so carried in both countries.
Regarding the development of international road_ transport in Europe only 1.200 carnets were issued in 1952, but by 1962 the number was 150,000. Thus there had been a hundredfold increase in a space of 10 years, and unless there were restrictions—an unlikely development— road transport would continue to increase the relative part it played in international corn munications.
Mr. Gibb then referred to groupings within the road transport industry in the U.K. and gave relative figures released by the Ministry of Transport. There was an average of about four vehicles per operator overall resulting from 197,800 public carriers' vehicles being owned by 46,000 operators. The breakdown of the operators by size of fleet was as follows: I-vehicle operators-23,100; 2/5-vehicle operators-16,000; 6/20-vehicle operators 6.000; 21/50-vehicle operators-950; 51 and over-210.
The situation in the rest of Europe was that in no country was the average number of vehicles per haulier very great.
Commenting on recent arguments about track costs Mr. Gibb aptly said: " This is a wonderful field for theorists." Because our roads dated from Roman times the system of public ways was part of our heritage. Also to be decided were the relative values and relative costs of usage at different times. During the daytime, for instance, the greater part of the population used the roads to some extent. Therefore, if the roads must exist by day, need they be charged for by night, Mr. Gibb queried.
Another development concerned transport terminals. Until recently a haulage contractors least pretentious front was often his operating base, but times were changing and major road operators now had purpose-built • depots. Parcels carriers, who needed a greater investment in depot facilities, had of necessity built new sheds with mechanical handling.
It had been said that in respect of towns man must learn to live with the motor vehicle so that it fitted in without creating chaos, thus ensuring that the country did not become one "glorious car park ". This was a vital issue for the road haulier whose movements of vehicles in areas surrounding his terminals were slowly and surely becoming more restricted and so Jess productive. In this context Mr. Gibb doubted the validity of collection and delivery by night as had been advocated.
it was inconceivable that licensing could be abandoned altogether, and it was remarkably difficult to suggest radical changes to the present pattern set by the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, said Mr. Gibb when commenting on the Geddes inquiry.
If the industry was to claim that it had reached maturity it must also demand of itself that it 'assumed a full degree of responsibility. That meant acceptance of certain standards of internal organization and discipline. Education and, training, both on and off the job, had a major part to play in the establishment of a high standard of road transport management. But this was in itself insufficient unless coupled with some form of professional code of practice_ Whilst the Institute of Transport played a considerable part by providing a forum in which he broader problems could be discussed. there was a wide gap between the .teademic qualifications of the Institute and the establishment of a recognizable professional status in road transport. a21