Britain's Future Transport System
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CLEAR indications of the future shape of inland transport in Great Britain, and in particular of the part that road transport is likely to play in it, were given by Sir Cyril Hurcomb, G.C.B., K.B.E., chairman of the British Transport Commission, in an address to the Institute of Transport in London, on Monday. Speaking on "Progress Towards the Integration of Transport," he hinted that the Tilling bus companies might form the nuclei of area, schemes under the Transport Act, 1947, and added: "Investigation of certain areas will shortly be undertaken under the preliminary procedure which the Act requires."
Referring to goods traffic, he said that the Road Transport Executive was to consider the cost of conveying by road traffic now carried by certain branch railway lines. He also suggested that road services would replace unremunerative local railway passenger services The possibility of transferring some long-distance road traffic to the railways, with radial collection and delivery facilities provided by the R.T.E., was also being examined. As indicative of the closely knit system which the B.T.C. envisages, Sir Cyril said that a common commercial organization for all the Commission's transport agencies at town and district level must be the aim.
War-time Experience Useful
In outlining war-time co-ordination measures, he referred to the former Road Haulage Organization and declared:
It did not itself provide a structure upon which the road services to be provided by the Road Transport Executive could automatically be based, but the experience gained in larger scale organization was most useful, both to the industry and ie.those who have to plan for the future. When we came to set up this organization, we found that even the 350 largest operators owned only 10,000 vehicles, an average of fewer than 30 each, and any tendency for small road haulage firms to coalesce in more or less closely linked groups had only begun to show itself.
" By way of illustration of what was likely to happen, I may mention two large concerns which have been recently acquired by the Commission. One was an association of 54 road haulage undertakings which came together during the war under the Minister's scheme, and continued to work together when control ceased in August, 1946: the other a concern owning over 1,000 vehicles, operating from 75 depots, and controlling no fewer than 23 separate companies. For my own part, I have always held the view that haulage of goods by road was bound at some time to rank with other important basic public-utility services, and to reflect this fact in its internal organization."
Describing progress made so far on the goods side, Sir Cyril said that the Commission quickly decided that it would be in everyone's interest to negotiate for the acquisitiom of a number of important undertakings by voluntary agreement, and within the terms of compensation prescribed by the Act. Thus, a nucleus had been formed around which a more complete structure could be built by convenient stages. Save in a few exceptional cases, offers to negotiate in this way were not accepted after June 30.
In recent months, the Commission had acquired by voluntary agreement more than 150 road haulage undertakings owning nearly 6,000 vehicles. As 4,000 vehicles came over with the subsidiaries of the railways, the Commission now had 10,000 road goods vehicles. Negotiations were continuing with many other undertakings, and, when transfer under the compulsory procedure began on January 1, there would be a solid framework in existence to which newly acquired .undertakings could be attached.
"Care will be taken," said Sir Cyril, "to spread out the dates for actually transferring the 3,000 undertakings which it is estimated will be taken over under the compulsory procedure, so that they may be absorbed smoothly without interrupting the services offered to customers all over the country."
Groups of 120 Vehicles
The ultimate unit would be a group with an average of probably 120 vehicles. Later, the acquired undertakings, which for the time being were continuing to operate individually under their old names, would be regrouped in the appropriate districts and divisions. Authority would be decentralized as much as possible, and at each level contact would be maintained with the appropriate railway and waterways officers.
Until the Commission had acquired a sufficiehtly substantial portion of long-distance haulage concerns, and until the Executive was in a position to consolidate and operate them, plans could not be produced for the integration of these services with those of the railways and inland waterways.
Sir Cyril, who said that the Transport Act struck a new note by using the word "integration," where previously it had been usual to speak of "co-ordination;" said that the integrated system was required to be efficient, adequate and economical, and must serve the public, agriculture, commerce and industry throughout Great Britain.
" Efficiency," he continued, "means that the system must be reliable, speedy and safe; to be adequate, it must provide in some form, but not necessarily in every form in every place, sufficient means of conveyance to cover peak loads, seasonal demands and special occasions. To be economical, it must offer the maximum of service that can be provided from its share of the national resources in labour and materials, at the lowest cost compatible with covering all its costs, including depreciation and the statutory amortization of capital."
Charging Sypterns Being Reviewed
The Commission was examining ways of co-ordinating the various services of the Executives and was reviewing entire charging systems applied to inland transport. The two inquiries had to be closely correlated.
Sir Cyril pointed out three handicaps under which the Commission• worked. One was that it could only guide, and not compel, traffic into' selected channels, although it was clearly desirable in the national interest to influence traffic as strongly as possible to use the means for transport that was most economical in terms of "real social costs." Another limiting factor was the freedom of the C-licensee. In planning its services and fixing its charges, the Commission must have close regard to the increase in the number of C-licence vehicles. "The question is not between road and rail," he said, "but between public and private transport, and all the Executives will be keen to provide trade and industry with a service at least as good as that obtained in the past."
The third limiting factor was the Commission's statutory obligation to pay its way. Each step taken towards integration must add something to net revenue, either by increasing traffic. or by reducing costs and improving efficiency. Public transport could be made to pay only if it were adequately patronized, where it could give good service, and the' vast capital sunk in the railways could yield a good return only if the railways were used to somewhere near capacity.
Sir Cyril stressed the importance of close interleaving between the relevant portions of the organizations of the various Executives, particularly on the commercial side. " In time," he declared, " it will be necessary to move further and further towards a position in which transport, as such, will be sold in each large centre by an organization which will act as a whole, even though it consists of separate parts. At town and district levels, the point of contact with the customer, a common commercial organization must be the aim."
Should R.T.E. Run Rail Lorries ?
Discussing the question whether all the Commission's road services should be operated by the R.T.E., or whether the Railway Executive should continue to run its own road vehicles, Sir Cyril said that the railways had embarked on zonal schemes in which railborne traffic would be concentrated at fewer points and distributed by road. The extent to which such services should be operated by the R.T.E. for the Railway Executive or the Docks and Inland Waterways Executive was now under active examination and test. " Here." he added, "is opportunity for securing real integration, and we shall endeavour to find the best method of operation. without being dogmatic at the start."
The R.T.E. was to consider what it would cost to convey the traffic at present being carried by certain unremunerative branch railway lines, and the Railway Executive would calculate the saving to be effected by withdrawing these services. The scope for closing the smaller intermediate stations on main lines and serving them by road from the larger stations was also under joint consideration.
"Certain flows of long-distance road traffic are also being examined in detail to see what would be involved in trunk haulage by rail, linked with radial collection and delivery at each end by vehicles of the Road Transport Executive," Sir Cyril continued.
Dealing with the passenger side, he declared that the companies acquired from Thomas Tilling, Ltd., would be "important elements" in any area scheme, and said that the investigation of certain areas would shortly be undertaken under the preliminary procedure required by the Act. It would take time to form area schemes, but as the Commission extended its interests in this field, interavailability arrangements were likely to be developed. More bus services would be centred on railway stations, and scheduled connections between road and rail would multiply. Sir Cyril made it clear, however, that the railways must be adequately supported.
He described chat ges policy as "probably the key to effective integration." Certain preliminaries were well in hand, and good progress had been made in the direction of establishing more or less common conditions of carriage. The next problem was to simplify railway charges.
Road and Rail Rates He would not commit himself to the general principle that road and rail rates should be approximately equal for medium distances, lower by rail than by road for long hauls, and higher by rail than by road for short hauls, except for low-grade traffic travelling short distances to works or for shipment. He added that, in some quarters, it was urged that this principle should be introduced into passenger fares. The Commission had to face the great existing disparity between many rail and road fares. It might be easier to narrow the gap if fares couldbe varied according to local circumstances, but a nationalized undertaking was obliged to treat all its customers equitably.