Parcels by Private Car
Page 30
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WITH the compulsory cessation of the V, Post Office parcels service because of the current " work-to-rule " campaign, the People's League on Monday began a parcels service with receiving offices in London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Manchester. They claimed that they could, with the help of volunteers using private cars, and by 'using charter aircraft, deliver a parcel to any part of Britain within 24 hours. By lunch time on Monday they had handled 40 parcels at their Baker Street {London) receiving centre and one parcel at their 21,000-sq.-ft. warehouse.
Can the People's League, or anyone else, carry parcels for hire or reward in this way? The answer is that there is nothing in the law, as it stands, to stop anyone carrying goods in a private car.
A spokesman at the Ministry of Transport told The Commercial Motor that, provided the vehicle has not been adapted for the carriage of goods, such a parcels service is legal; but-in view of the recent decision in the Flowers Freight case (reported above and on page 824) it is possible that cars fitted with roof racks upon which such parcels are carried could be said to be goods vehicles, and could thus be infringing the law.
On Monday, a B.R.S. spokesman said that their movement of parcels in the London area averaged over half a million outwards and a quarter of a million inwards per week. Over the whole country, 95 million parcels are handled annually.
'WESTERN T.R.TA. ADDRESS 'THE new offices of the Western 1 Division of the Traders Road Transport Association are at Brunel House, St. George's Road, Bristol, 1. The telephone number—Bristol 25424— remains unchanged.