B.T.C. Will Not Lose Traffic
Page 37
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AFIER hearing witnesses say that the grant of two articulated collection and delivery outfits to Road Services (Caledonian), Ltd., would not affect the British Transport Commission's traffic, the B.T.C. withdrew their objection to a grant at Preston, on Tuesday—provided the company agreed to accept one vehicle instead of two.
Road Services complied with this request. and the North Western Deputy Licensing Authority, Mr. J. R. Lindsay, granted one articulated vehicle for smalls collection and delivery within 30 miles of • Preston to assist Scottish trunk services.
Mr. J. A. Dunkerley, for the applicants, said they had 56 vehicles at Dumfries. There were also bases at Stranracr. with 25 vehicles, Lockerbie (24), Abington (11), Glasgow (16) and London (11). The vehicles at the Preston depot consisted of 13 " artics " on A licence or special A licence, three vans and a "flat" on special A licence, and a small collection and delivery van on B licence.
The company allocated all work emanating from any particular area to the depot concerned. In the two years ended November, 1957, the revenue for smalls collected in the Preston area amounted to more than £40,000. Two four-weekly " spot" checks in October and November, 1957, showed more than 2.000 collections of less than 10 cwt. in each period.
Hiring for collection and delivery was impracticable, because the work was not wanted by sub-contractors, who demanded trunk traffic.
Mr. L. Meulanvergs, Preston branch manager, said the depot started in January, 1955, with 11 special-A vehicles. The company were in difficulties in November, 1955, when an application for two rigid collection and delivery vehicles was refused. As a result, they had to purchase additional special-A vehicles. Seven of the articulated outfits were on the Scottish trunk run and the other six were tramping and collecting and deliver/rig full and part-loads.
Replying to Mr. Lindsay, Mr. Meulanvergs said collection and delivery was at the moment done by their four -rigid vehicles. " Artics." would be more useful because laden semi-trailers could he left for sorting at the loading bank while the tractors took out empty ones.
Representatives of Wallpaper Manufacturers, Ltd., and the Prestige Group gave evidence of difficulties in smalls collection. They said no work at present done by British Road Services or British Railways would he given to the company.