Mr. Beames Criticizes Hauliers
Page 37
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THE attitude of hauliers towards their declaration of normal uscr was strongly criticized by Mr. G. H. P. Beames, before Mr. A. H. Jolliffe, North
Western Deputy Licensing Authority, at Manchester, on Tuesday. He said that many operators were "too easy-going and idle," and matters must be taken in hand.
Mr. Beames was representing the British Transport Commission w h o objected to an application by Mr. Fred Brooks, 1-3 Swinton Park Road, Salford, for a new A licence in respect of two vans of 7+ tons to carry battery boxes, plastics, foodstuffs, chemicals and machinery to Lancashire, South Wales, the Bristol area and the Midlands.
Mr. J. Backhouse, for the applicant, said that the nature of the business changed in 1956. Before then he had been carrying steel and window frames within 40 miles, but when this traffic declined he had started to carry other commodities further afield. When the time came to renew his A licence he had approached the Road Haulage Association but did not give a full account of his new operations.
He had signed a form which had been completed by the R.H.A. but had not realized that the normal user stated had been inadequate. His present licence was not due to expire until 1963, but since discovering that his activities were unauthorized he wished to put things in order, Replying to Mr. Beames, the applicant said that he had been in the haulage business since 1933but he was not familiar with the procedure . of normal users. When obtaining his licence he had never been asked by the R.H.A. if he wished to change the existing declaration. He admitted that he had not read the form before he signed it, and that he had been grossly careless.
Mr. R. Forrest, transport assistant of United Ebonite and Lorival, Ltd., Bolton, said that they had been employing Mr. Brooks to carry plastics to South Wales and Peterborough for four years. Since then output had increased by 300 per cent. and they would be in difficulties if they were deprived of the services of Mr. Brooks.
In submission Mr. Beames pointed out that all the supporting figures related to unofficial operation. It was hard to believe that a man who had been a haulier since 1933 should be ignorant of licensing matters and should omit to read documents before signing them. A new approach was necessary in cases of false declaration, he suggested.
The normal user was a charter of an operator' S livelihood, and it was essential that a careful and reasonable attitude be taken towards it. This type of offence occurred with increasing frequency and was grossly unfair to objectors. It was the duty of Licensing Authorities to rectify the position, he maintained.
Mr. folliffe granted the application but suspended the licence until October 1. He said he was convinced that Mr. Brooks had been careless rather than dishonest.
ESTIMATING BENEFITS
" THE Assessment of Priority for Road
Improvements," published yesterday at 2s, 6d. by the Stationery Office, describes a method developed by the Road Research Board for estimating the financial benefits of road works against capital costs.