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Air of Suspicion ' Tribunal is Told T HE Transport Tribunal was

19th November 1965
Page 26
Page 26, 19th November 1965 — Air of Suspicion ' Tribunal is Told T HE Transport Tribunal was
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

told in London last week by Mr. M. McGregor-Johnson that when the Western Licensing Authority heard two applications from a Gloucestershire haulage firm there was an air of suspicion and the LA had questioned the legality of some of the firm's operations.

Mr. McGregor-Johnson, on behalf of British Railways and the Transport Holding Company (BRS). was opposing two appeals by the firm, Golden Valley Transport Ltd.. of Stoke Gifford, Gloucester. The Tribunal reserved its decision.

For Golden Valley, Miss E. Havers said the two appeals resulted from applications which were refused by the LA on February 19 and April 12 of this year. The first was for the addition to the company's A licence of four artics, at present specified on a B licence, which would have been surrendered. The vehicles would haul agricultural and other goods within 200 miles for six named companies.

The second application was made after the refusal of the first. It was for renewal of the company's B licence authorizing four artics to haul agricultural and other goods within 150 miles for two named companies and within 15 miles for six named companies.

The LA based his refusal mainly on the " doubtfulness of the hiring arrangements and the earnings figures, which he thought were unsatisfactory in the way they were presented ", said Miss Havers.

He also seemed to have doubts about the legality of the company's operations. But Miss Havers said it was wrong of him to say during the hearing that he wanted the company to prove to him that what they were doing was legal.

Mr. McGregor-Johnson contended that there was no demand to warrant allowing the appeals. The LA had rejected the original application because certain information he 'had requested was not before him. While hearing evidence from the applicant, said Mr. McGregorJohnson, "the Authority was faced by an inability to obtain clear evidence about the way in which the vehicles were operating ".

He continued: "There was a certain prejudice in the mind of the LA from the outset. There was an air of suspicion. He had questioned the legality of some of the applicants' operations.

" The Authority also said that it appeared the applicants were operating not a haulage business, but an unusual type of clearing house, taking, by way of commission, a percentage which was abnormally high."

Physical wages were being handed out to iltiveri by Golden Valley and were immediately debited to the owners of the

vehicles, he ..• " IC isn't for me Or the' LA to say what offence ww being -committed by such a /evice added Mr. McGregor-Johnson.


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