Balancing Charges:

22nd September 1950, Page 60

22nd September 1950

Page 60

Page 60, 22nd September 1950 — Balancing Charges:

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Pages R.II.A. Test Case THE Metropolitan and South Eastern Area of the Road Haulage Association states that on the advice of a subcommittee of professional experts, it has been decided that immediately opportunity offers, a test case to settle the question of liability to balancing charges arising from compulsory acquisition should be taken.

The Board of Inland Revenue is Icing requested that no appeal against such an assessment should be heard until a test-case decision has been obtained.

"Any operator who has been advised that his appeal is to be heard ought to ask his local taxation officer for a deferment in view of R.H.A.'s negotiations with the Inland Revenue," says the area bulletin.

RTs GIVE BETTER SERVICE, SAYS L.T.E.

DURING the past 10 years, a marked improvement has taken place in the reliability of London Transport's road fleet. Records made public this week show that, so far as the post-war RT vehicles are concerned, in the central area more than 50,000 miles are being run by this type per failure or delay. In other words, about 60 per cent. of. the red double-deckers are running for well over a year without experiencing any mechanical trouble sufficient to cause a delay in service.

In the country-bus area, an even better standard of reliability has been achieved, and the green RT doubledeckers—just over half the country-bus fleet—now average some 70,000 miles before a defect occurs in service.

This standard of reliability is, London Transport's engineers believe, superior to that achieved in the United States and compares most favourably with that of provincial operators in this country, despite the more severe traffic conditions obtaining in London and the strict interpretation of " failure or delay" by London Transport.

[The history of the London bus is traced by Lord Latham, chairman of the London Transport Executive, in an exclusive article on pages 145-146.] S.M.M.T. CONDEMNS STATE STEEL

GRAVE concern has been expressed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders at the Government's intention to proceed with the nationalization of the steel industry. British motor manufacturers would not be able to claim so large a shareof export trade, states the Society, were it not for the outstanding efficiency of steel employers and workers alike.

If ever there were a time when political theory should be subordinated to the demands of the hour, the statement continued, that time was now; the measures being taken for national security would place an additional burden on both the steel and motor industries. Nothing should be allowed to impede or disrupt their activities, which were so vital to the Nation's well-being and safety.