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Battery Industry Defended

22nd June 1951, Page 35
22nd June 1951
Page 35
Page 35, 22nd June 1951 — Battery Industry Defended
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Isle Of Skye, Skye, Portree

FREQUENTLY repeated charges that no progress had been made in the battery industry during the past 30 or 40 years were strongly denied by Mr. A. W. Browne, 0.B.E., chairman of Chloride Batteries, Ltd., at the annual Exide banquet recently. .

Mr. Browne said that the company was paying close attention to. research and development. 'Statements to the effect that no progress had been or was being made were "absolute nonsense." There was no doubt that the lead-acid battery had maintained its pre-eminent position in the storage of electrical energy, and this had been achieved only by constant research and attention to every new development.

It is true to say that batteries are being produced to-day with characteristics which only a few years ago -would have been considered almost impossible," he declared.

DIRECT GLASGOW-SKYE SERVICE AN application-hy Neil Beaton, Ltd., Skye bus operator, to introduce an express bus service between Glasgow and Portree was heard at a sitting in Glasgow of the Scottish Licensing Authority last week. The route proposed was the original "Road to the isles "—the most direct route to Skye. The hearing was adjourned until July 20. The Authority announced that it would resume at Portree in order to avoid expense and inconvenience to the witnesses.

The application was opposed by four bus companies, the Railway Executive, and David MacBrayne, Ltd. Mr, Hugh MacRae, manager and director of the applicant, said that he was applying for a round trip service `once a week—from Portree to Glasgow on Fridays and from Glasgow to Portree on Saturdays. He suggested that the fare should be 112 10s. At present, the lowest fare between Glasgow and Portree by rail and steamer was £3 2s. 6d.

Mr MacRae said: "It is high time we got something for the high road tax we pay. Our buses are rattled to pieces on the Skye roads. It is time we got a share of your good mainland roads."

EDUCATION SCHEME PROGRESS

IN its annual report, the National I Committee on Road Transport Education states that. during the past 18 months, .a small sub-committee has been working on the revision of the syllabuses in the tight of the experience of lecturers and examiners over the past five years. This work is now practically completed. The subject matter of needy all the lessons has been arranged in more logical order, and the syllabuses have been recast in .a form which it is hoped will make them more easily interpreted by lecturers and students. It is intended Ow these new Syllabuses will he introduced in tinie for the exerninationS to be held in .1952.

Difficethies that the committee has experienced have included eitift-working of prospective students,. and that the existence of the education scheme is not as widely known in industry as eould be desired. However, there were 834 candidates in 1950 compared with 780 in the previous year. The greatest single number of students was at the Manchester centre.

ARTICS. HEAVY ON TYRES: LICENCE CHANGE SOUGHT DECAUSE heavy tyre costs were being

incurred in the operation of articulated vehicles, the Red House Garage Co., Ltd., Coventry, applied to the West Midland Licensing Authority last week for permission to convert its vehicles to tractors and trailers. It was stated that two years ago, tyres for the driving wheels cost £75 whereas to-day's cost was £493.

The applicant also sought to increase its fleet from 25 to 27 vehicles. In October, seven vehicles are due for acquisition by the Road Haulage Executive. The hearing was adjourned.

LIVERPOOL STAFF DIFFICULTIES AFTER his recent re-election as chairman of the Liverpool Passenger Transport Committee, ale F. Bidston said: " Since the last fares

report was approved by the council in April this year, costs have risen by approximately £111,000 in a full year." In addition to this, if wage increases were granted in full it would amount to a further sum of £199,000, he said.

He added that there was no longer any actual shortage of vehicles, but increasing shortage of staff had become a major problem and might result in a curtailment of vehicles put into use.

ABERDEEN HAULIER WINS APPEAL

A N Aberdeen haulier has succeeded

in his appeal to the Transport Arbitration Tribunal, in which he claimed that failure by the Road Haulage Executive to grant him only four instead of 10 long-distance permits created substantial interference with his business.

Mr. J N 14, Ferguson maintained that 50 per cent. of his vehicles were engaged on long-distance work. The Tribunal found that the conditions of the Transport Act requiring acquisition by the R.H.E. were satisfied. Costs were awarded against the R.H.E.


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