Fewer W.D. Contracts for Hauliers?
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FROM OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT THE Army, which paid £413,600 to
private hauliers for hired vehicles in 1961-62, has decided that this large sum should if possible be avoided in future by increased use of its own vehicles.
Work study in the East Anglian District has already resulted in economies worth £16,000 a year being substantially adopted. Further studies, involving a saving of £15,000, are under review in the Catterick area and all commands are beginning to study the problem.
Sir Edmund Compton, the AuditorGeneral, had some harsh facts for Parliament recently on the way the Army had under-utilized its vehicles. It is clear that, resulting from the investigations he made for his report, the Army has begun a shake-up of transport depots.
Sir Edmund reported that Army transport officers had often had to hire commercial vehicles when Army transport was not being used. Vehicles were standing idle for a number of reasons, but mainly because their drivers were else
where—on ceremonial parades, at sports functions, on other duties, or on leave.
At the same time, he added, there were other drivers available whose vehicles were out of use for one reason or another. Why, he asked the Army, couldn't the spare men and spare vehicles be introduced to each other? The Army told him that drivers often assisted in the repair of their vehicles, and that the basis of the Army system was that each man had his own vehicle and thereby took a pride in it.
However, the procedure was being reviewed and the order had already gone out that, wherever possible, drivers without vehicles should take over vehicles without drivers.
In addition, the situation arising at Catterick during 1961—where each day 28 serviceable three-tonners were taken off the road for a two-week preparation for annual inspection—is not likely to arise again for the. benefit of private hirers.