Low-loader battle continues
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• In order to secure the withdrawal of an objection to its application to convert some vehicles from rigids to artics, an undertaking was given by the Brent .Group of Companies in January 1967 in relation to Styring Transport Ltd. of Wickersley, Rotherham, which it had just acquired. This undertaking, said Brent, would follow the spirit of the former company. However, by July of that year the company was converting the tippers to low-loaders which now accounted for a large proportion of the Yorkshire business, maintained Mr. A. R. Favell in Sheffield on Tuesday.
Mr. Favell was objecting on behalf of Henry Matthews and Son (Transport) Ltd. and Frank Phillips (Haulage) Ltd. to a resumed application by Brent to put another low-loader trailer on its A licence and to uplift the weight of further vehicles so that all four low-loaders would be 10 /12 tonners with 20ft wells (CM. May 17).
Mr. J. M. Silbermann, Brent managing director, said the tippers had been operated for a year after purchase but it was company policy to make the most economic use of its fleets and tipping rates in Yorkshire were low.
Objecting on behalf of BRS (Pickfords) Ltd., Mr. J. M. Bosomworth referred to two small tonnage uplift variations applied for on February 1 and 9 this year, in respect of two at-tics: "I put it to you that you have constantly followed a procedure of uplifting the weights from the moment you acquired the Styring vehicles," he said. Mr. Silbermann replied that applications had been published on a number of occasions without objection.
Referring to the group's practice of using Metropolitan-licensed vehicles all over the country, the deputy LA, Mr. M. Gosnay, wondered whether, if he did authorize another vehicle, it would be used for local work.
Mr. Gosnay granted the uplift in weight of the existing low-loaders but refused the change of flat /tipper to low loader. Mr. M. H. JacksonLipkin for Brent, said that Mr. Silbermann, as chairman of the RHA heavy haulage division, was perturbed that the earlier switch had been granted without publication which could have prejudiced objectors. The DLA said he had taken the matter up with his office.