Petrol Rationing Continues
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pETROL rationing must stay for the time being, Mr. Reginald Maudling. Paymaster General, told the House of Commons on Monday. The removal of rationing rested on the assurance of adequate and regular supplies and the Government thought that, having-regard to the present situation in the Middle East, that condition had not yet been satisfied. Petrol supplies had, however. improved.
Mr. Herbert Morrison, M.P. (Lab., Lewisham South) asked whether it was not the case that present consumption was within 3 per cent. of the normal. He doubted whether it was worth while to keep the elaborate machinery of rationing.
Confident predictions by the newspapers [not The Commercial Motor] that rationing would be ended were inaccurate, replied Mr. Maudling. Future supplies were expected to be in the region of 90 per cent, of normal consumption, but they were not sufficiently certain to warrant the removal of rationing at present.
Fuel rationing ended in Eire and Switzerland last week and in Norway on Tuesday.
CAIRO BUYS EAST GERMAN
HEAVY vehicles, including crosscountry lorries, troop carrying trucks and other vehicles, are to be assembled in a plant to be set-up near Cairo by the East German concern of Simson Suhl.
Most of the components will be made locally.
Operators Should Make Joint Proposals
" IF there is a demand for additional
I facilities by the public, then all the operators should get together and come forward with a joint proposal for their roach allowances," said Mr. H. J. fhom, chairman of the South Eastern Traffic Commissioners, at Bournemouth last week.
After it had been submitted that the Hants and 'Dorset, Shamrock and Rambler and Charlie's Cars concerns were not using their full vehicle allowances and were running coaches with empty seats, the Commissioners refused an application by Excelsior Coaches, Birmingham, to operate extra coaches for tours around Bournemouth.
For Hants and Dorset it was stated that there were 22,250 fewer passengers last summer than in 1955.
RECORDING AS EVIDENCE
A TAPE recording of telephone con versations was produced before the Western Licensing Authority at Exmouth, last week, by Mr. Harry Wadlow, managing director of Resteasy (Teignmouth) Manufacturing Co.. Ltd., 17 Bitton Street, Teignmouth, who sought a licence to carry furniture within 25 miles and to and from Devon and Cornwall when engaged on carrying the company's own traffic.
The recordings were. submitted as supporting evidence. The hearing was adjourned until May 15. Objectors were H. D. Gourd and Sons, Ltd., Bartlett Bros. (Hauliers), Ltd., Nicks and Co.. Ltd., F. J. Reeves and Co. (Transport). and British Road Services.
"Shops Cannot Take Early Loads
I N a letter of protest to the Minister of Transport against the proposed ban on loading and unloading between 8.30-10 a.m. in certain streets in the London area (The Commercial Motor last week), Mr. Philip Maltby, secretary of the Bromley and District Traders' Association, points out that it could not be suggested that vehicles could unload at shops earlier than 8.30 a.m. because of working regulations laid down by the Board of Trade.
Bromley Chamber of Commerce have also written to the Minister to say that the effects of prohibitions would be particularly distressing upon businesses dealing in perishable foods, BUS BAN DEPLORED BY TRADERS
BY a big majority, Dews bu y Chamber of Trade last week passed a resolution deploring proposals in the town's development plan which would mean the removal of buses from main centre streets.
Mr. C. Hemingway said that it was proposed to build a new bus station in Aldams Road. Buses would be confined to ring roads to leave the centre of the town clear for other traffic. There would be bus stops along the ring roads to allow people to reach central shops.
Mr. G. W. Battensby, general manager of the Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co., Ltd., said that the company strongly opposed' the suggestion that buses should not be allowed to travel down certain streets. It was essential that the shopping public should be brought as near to the shops as possible. People would be attracted to towns where it was easy to reach the shops from the buses.
BOUND FOR CALCUTTA I NTENDED as the forerunner of a regular two-way service, an A.E.C.Harrington coach of Garrow-Fisher Tours, Ltd., left Victoria Coach Station, London, on Monday for a 10.000-mile tour through 15 countries to Calcutta. The route includes Paris, Venice, Belgrade, Sofia, ,Istanbul, Ankara, Teheran, Lahore and Delhi. Among the passengers arc two former London firemen who are emigrating to Australia, also Indians and Australians returning to their native countries.
HAULIERS THANKED
TTHANKS to the road haulage industry for its work during the -fuel crisiS have been expressed by the Bradford and Halifax wool-textile industry. They stated that inconvenience had been kept to. a minimum because of the co-operation extended by hauliers.
The industry was particularly vulnerable to disruption because of the many short hauls between mills and occasional long journeys to bring raw materials from the docks and London and Leicester sales.