Minister's Day-to-Day Eye on Dock Delays
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DELAYS at putting exports on ships were caused within the docks, and not on the highway on the way to the docks, said the Minister of Transport last week.
Replying to complaints from several M.P.s about hold-ups at docks, the Minister noted that the Road Haulage Association was getting a more consistent and regular flow of vehicles, so as to avoid drivers and loads being held up for too long when they arrived inside the docks.
He regarded the delays as something to which he must continue to give his personal attention, almost day to day, said Mr. Fraser. He would not rest content until the congestion had been removed and we had solved the problem of the long waiting periods.
The single most effective step towards reducing the present congestion would be a full resumption of weekend working by dockers, declared Mr. Fraser, and he promised to look into the possibility of this with the Minister of Labour.
M.P.s spoke of goods having to be sent two or three times to a port before they could be accepted, of long queues of traffic, and of exporters having to use ports which were not the most convenient.