More Vehicles To Beat Congestion
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INCREASING congestion in Manchester
is making the collection of goods more difficult and additional vehicles are essential to ensure that export goods arrive on Merseyside before vessels close for traffic,
Representatives of 10 local exporters and shippers, including LEP Transport Ltd., Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd., and Associated Electrical Industries, Ltd., told Mr. F. Williamson, the North Western Licensing Authority, this at Manchester on Monday, when Austin Wilkinson Ltd., Lowton, applied to add two articulated outfits to their A licence.
Mr, J. A. Dunkerley, for the applicants, said they operated 14 vehicles and two trailers on A licence. During 1959 their gross turnover increased from £9,621, for the period February-April, to £13,529 from November to January, 1960. Hiring increased from £786 to £2,318 during tha.samc period. They were now unable to cope with the demands of customers with the present fleet.
Mr. J. Booth, objecting for British Railways, suggested there had been urgency for export traffic and congestion in Manchester for many years but this -was not necessarily evidence of need for additional vehicles.
Mr, A. K. Lloyd, shipping manager of Ward and Goldstone, Ltd., Salford, said rail rates to Merseyside were prohibitive. He had been quoted 73s. a ton for collection and delivery of 1-2-ton lots compared with Austin Wilkinson's rate of 19s. a ton to Liverpool and 21s. to Birkenhead, for similar lots.
The hearing was adjourned,