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Here's the official timetable in full

22nd November 1968
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Page 27, 22nd November 1968 — Here's the official timetable in full
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

NOW IN FORCE: BUS GRANTS; EXTRA FUEL TAX REBATE; MINIBUS EXEMPTIONS FROM ROAD SERVICE LICENCES; NFC AND PTA POWERS

• Coinciding with publication of the Transport Act 1968 on Thursday of last week, the Minister of Transport made the first Commencement Order fixing the dates on which many of the Act's provisions come into force. This brings into operation from November 18 the powers to designate Passenger Transport Areas, most of the new measures of financial support for public transport, the extended powers and duties of the nationalized transport boards and a new legal charter for inland waterways.

This Transport Act 1968 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1968 was made by Mr. Marsh in conjunction with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, and is available from HMSO. The Transport Act itself, which was given Royal Assent on October 25, is now available from HMSO or through any bookseller, price 25s.

The Order sets January 1 1969 as vesting day for National Freight Corporation, the National Bus Company and the Scottish Transport Group. The provisions effecting the transfer of THC assets and liabilities, and certain BRB assets, to these new authorities will not come into force until January 1 but almost all the other provisions relating to the new authorities are being brought into operation immediately.

The NFC

Under this Part 1 of the Act the NFC will be set up as a new publicly owned authority to provide integrated road and rail freight services, for which purpose it will absorb the road goods and shipping companies owned by the Transport Holding Company and will take over from BRB both British Roadrailer Services Ltd., and Tartan Arrow Service (Holdings) Ltd. It also requires the Railways Board to form a Freightliner company and a freight sundries company (which will be known as National Carriers Ltd.). On January 1 the sundries company will be transferred wholly to the NFC, which will also receive a 51, per cent holding in the Freightliner company.

The chairman-designate of the NFC is Sir Reginald Wilson.

Passenger re-organization

Establishment of the National Bus Company and the Scottish Transport Group is by virtue of Part III, sections 24 to 29 of the Act. The NBC will take over the existing THC bus companies and bus manufacturing concerns (Bristol, ECW) except those currently within the Scottish Bus Group. It will operate over 20,000 p.s.v. and will have as its chairman Mr. A. N. (Norman) Todd, 63, who is a member of the Central Electricity Generating Board. The chief executive will be Mr. T. W. H. Galley, the present chairman of the Tilling Association.

The Scottish Transport Group will have transferred to it the THC shares in the Scottish Bus Group, the half share in David MacBrayne Ltd. which THC holds and the shares in the Caledonian Steam Packet Co. which BRB owns. As announced on page 42, the STG's chairman will be Mr. P. M. Thomas and its chief executive will be Mr. W. M. (Moris) Little, present chairman of the Scottish Bus Group.

Other sections of Part III of the act which are brought into force immediately are: Section 30, which permits the Traffic Commissioners to grant stage carriage permits (without a road service licence)* for vehicles carrying less than 12 passengers and stage or express carriage permits for vehicles providing transport under Education Act arrangements.

31, which abolishes special control over bus services provided by local authorities outside their areas.

32, which permits grants to be made for new stage carriage buses, such grants being 25 per cent of the approved capital cost.

33, which provides additional fuel tax rebate for stage carriage buses.

37, which gives local authorities the power to acquire or dispose of public service vehicle undertakings.

Sections 34, providing grants for rural bus and ferry services; 35 which gives trade unions, police and local authorities the power to object to p.s.v. licence applications, or give grounds for suspension or revocation; and 36, which gives local authorities powers to run contract carriage services, will not come into effect until January 1.

Part II (sections 9 to 23) which gives the Minister power to designate Passenger Transport Areas comes into effect immediately, as do the sections in Part IV which provide for social rail grants, surplus rail track grants and deficit grants to BR and LTB. But most of the financial provisions relating to the nationalized boards (including the new authorities) will not come into force until January 1.

Traffic control

The traffic provisions eontained in Part IX of the Act will for the most part be brought into force after the appropriate Ministers have made regulations detailing new procedures for local authorities in making traffic and parking. orders, When it comes into full operation, Part IX will sub stantially amend the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967; because of this, Section 133 of the Transport Act proVides for the corn plete reprinting of the 11967 Act in its amended form.

The timetable

A table overleaf lists the sections of the Transport Act which are affected by the first Commencement Order. Schedules to the Act, which total 18, will be brought into force at the same time as he sections of the Act to which they directlY relate.

The only section of the Transport Act which was brought into force at Royal Assent, in advance of the first Commencement Order, was section 93, which exempted goods vehicles not exceeding 30cwt unladen from the need to have a carrier's licence. As was pointed out in Commercial Motor last week, the effect of this delicensing is wider than bad at first been thought. The Road Traffic Act 1960, section 253, defines a trailer as a vehicle drawn by a motor vehicle, and this definition expressly covers an articulated semitrailer. Provided that the unladen weight of each of the two units forming an articulated outfit does not exceed 30cwt, then the outfit will for the present be exempt from carriers' licensing.

When operators' licensing proposals (quality licensing) are introduced later on, all vehicles and vehicle combinations exceeding 30cwt unladen or 3.1tons gross plated weight will require a licence, but trailers not exceeding 1 ton unladen weight will be totally excluded from calculations. Many light automatic trailers do weigh less than 1 ton. This being the case, it will be possible to operate a tractive unit not exceeding 30cwt unladen weight or not exceeding 31 tons gross plated weight coupled to a light trailer outside the carriers' licensing provisions.

What happens next?

Several important sectiOns of the Transport Act will still remain to be brought into force after the implementation of the legislation covered by the first Commencement Order. For example, the reduction in

drivers' permitted hours (Part VI) is now unlikely before the early summer of 1969. When introduced, it will limit maximum daily working hours of lorry, bus and coach drivers to 11 (subject to some spreadover allowance) and weekly working hours to 60; driving time at the wheel will be limited to 10 hours a day.

Operators' licences ("quality" licensing) are likely to be introduced in autumn 1969. This will free under-16-ton-gross goods vehicles from the restrictive carrying conditions of their A, B or C licences. But heavier vehicles will remain bound by their existing licence conditions.

In the spring Of 1970 transport managers' licences (possibly re-titled vehicle supervisors' licences) are due to be introduced.

Timing of the introduction of special authorizations procedure ("quantity" licensing) depends on the development of the Freightliner network, but will almost certainly not be before the autumn of 1970. That this date is still very flexible is indicated by an MoT Press release on this subject last week which says, "The Minister has estimated that it might begin in 1970."

Advice on the Transport Act

Under the general title of "Transport Act in Action" CM intends to provide guidance for readers on all aspects of this legislation as it becomes applicable. Months before the Transport Bill finished its Parliamentary course. CM started providing a regular fortnightly guide to the important licensing provisions in "Looking at Licensing", and the response from readers has shown how valuable they found this series. We intend to apply similar treatment to many sections of the Act. As the measures are introduced over the next two years, CM will announce each new step and explain its significance; give guidance to operators on how to comply most effectively with the new laws; and examine the main provisions in features written in simple language.

For example, as well as the foregoing announcement of the effects of the first Commencement Order, this week's issue contains an interview with the Minister and a feature reviewing bodywork for vehicles now freed from carriers' licensing.

Starting next week, we shall be examining more closely some of the important provisions which the first Commencement Order brings into force.


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