R.H.A. Deputation to Minister ?
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A RESOLUTION calling on the
Minister of Transport and northern M.P.s to receive deputations from members of the Road Haulage Association, to discuss the hardship caused to hauliers by the revocation of permits, was passed at an R.H.A. Northern area meeting in Newcastle-on-Tyne, last week.
Mr. H. L. Walker, area chairman, expressed the view that the Minister would receive the deputation. There was, he said, concern among Labour back-bench Members over the affairs of the British Transport Commission.
lt was also resolved, with four dissenting votes, that hauliers should carry on business as usual after their authorizations' expired. Mr. Walker stated that if 90 per cent. of operators decided to do this, the Road Haulage Executive would collapse, but he stressed that only constitutional action should be taken.
Full support was given to a resolution that no member should take steps to hand over his business to the R.H.E. until he had been advised by the Association.
Mr. Walker said that he wos not sure that the Government should be blamed for the R.H.E's action. Lord Hurcomb, chairman of the Commission, had stated that the R.H.E. did not mind competition. The B.T.C. had been charged with the duty of making State transport pay, but, alleged Mr. Walker, the R.H.E. was inefficient and in the area there were at least 10 drivers with little work to do. The trade unions would not agree to these men being paid off.
He referred to the unfair method used by the R.H.E. in granting certain permits. Some men, obviously entitled to them, were not getting fair treatment. The R.H.A. had asked Lord Ilurcomb to receive a deputation to discuss this subject, but he had refused on the ground that the hauliers were getting what he considered to be a square deal.
Mr. Walker added that the R.H.A. was insisting that hauliers whose businesses were compulsorily acquired should receive the same treatment as those who applied for voluntary transfer.