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R.H.A. Prepares for Fierce Fight on Camp Unit Sales Services
Page 102
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PLANS are being made by the Road Haulage Association to discover the size, character and location of the transport units which its members arid ex-members are willing to buy. The initiative is being taken by the Association's Western Area.
The matter was expected to be brought to the attention of the national council at its ifleeting yesterday. The council will probably ask all areas to prepare similar plans.
As the result of a meeting at Bristol last Friday, at which M. R. Morton Mitchell, chief executive officer, addressed 60 members and ex-members, prospective buyers are to be asked to indicate what units they consider should be set up. The information is expected to be of great assistance to the Road Haulage Disposals Board in reaching a final decision on the sizes and nature of the units to be offered for sale.
About 80 per cent. of those present at the meeting were former hauliers whose undertakings had been acquired. They are understood to be willing to return to the industry, subject to financial considerations, although it is not known whether they would he willing to buy all the Road Haulage Executive's vehicles in the West.
A resolution was passed unanimously, expressing approval with the Association's efforts to secure denationalization.
The natural desire of a potential purchaser to keep his intentions secret may hamper the plea to assess the most desirable types of transport unit. " The Commercial Motor" understands that any information given will be confidential to local officials. A summary of requirements, omitting the names of interested parties, will be sent to the head office of the R.H.A. and probably to the Association's nominee on the board.
Long-established operators in Scotland had indicated their willingness to buy operable units from the Disposals Board, said Mr. L. J. Stokoe, secretary of the Scottish Area of the Road Haulage Association, when he spoke to Kirkcaldy Rotary Club last week. Within 18 months to two years there would be no such thing as British Road Services, he stated.
191 FINES IN 25-MILE CASE " CIARELESSNESS in the teeth of the complications of present-day legislation" was the reason for the breaches of the 25-mile limit by Messrs. Proud Bros., Tudhoe Colliery, County Durham, said Mr. T. H. Campbell Wardlaw, last week, at Durham County magistrates' court. The firm were stated to have run a lorry outside the limit on 34 occasions between June 3—August 18, 1952, It was also alleged that drivers exceeded the permitted hours of work and that proper records of work were not kept.
The firm pleaded guilty. Mr. J. L. R. Croft, prosecuting, said that although the limit was to be raised, the law could not be anticipated. Fines totalling £91 were imposed.
A24
A "ROYAL" HITCH: NEW SHOW POLICY
rOMMERCIAL-VEHICLE facturers have this year decided to withdraw their usual support from the Royal Agricultural Show, to be held at Blackpool from July 7-10. It is most probable, however, that horseboxes and cattle trucks will be exhibited by bodybuilders, although this is subject to the approval of the appropriate committee of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which may be given next month.
The display of four-wheele4 vehicles primarily designed and built for agricultural purposes and possessing power take-offs has been approved for all agricultural shows, including the Royal. The staging of commercial vehicles by distributors and dealers at county agricultural shows is also being encouraged, for a list of these events has been approved by the S.M.M.T.
LORDS HEAR APPEAL ON COMPENSATION
THE long-awaited case of the Road Haulage Executive v. Messrs. Elrick and Hutcheon was to come up on appeal in the House of Lords yesterday. The appeal is from a decision of the Court of Session in Scotland.
The question at issue is whether, for the purposes of assessing compensation to hauliers whose businesses were nationalized, the proprietor's remuneration should be included in the profits. The Court of Session ruled that the sum should not be deducted from the net annual profit in arriving at the compensation payable for cessation of business.
T" propriety of the Western Licensing Authority's action in refusing a licence to an independent operator and in instructing a State-owned company to apply for it, is again to be challenged at the Guildhall, Salisbury, next Wednesday.
Wilts and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd., is applying for licences to run services from Netheravon R.A.F. station to London and Birmingham, although the camp has been served by Avon Coaches, Ltd., Net heravon, for about seven years. The Avon concern was refused a licence for the services in 1949, but was granted one in 1950. This licence was revoked on appeal.
Last July a further application was made and refused. The Licensing Authority found that need had been established, but thought that Wilts and Dorset should run the services. The company was told to apply for the licences. Avon Coaches, Ltd., appealed against the decision and lost. Meanwhile, that company has been operating on private hire.
Six months after having told Wilts and Dorset to apply for the licences, the Western Licensing Authority is to hear the applications. The Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association is believed to regard this as one of the worst cases of discrimination against an independent operator in favour of a State-owned company and to be backing the objection of Avon Coaches, Lid., to the application. Counsel is being briefed and the case is regarded as a test.
It is likely that the Authority will be asked to defer his decision on the application of Wilts and Dorset until another submitted by Avon Coaches, Ltd., has. been heard.
140-TON ELECTRICAL PLANT GOES BY ROAD VESTERDAY what was claimed to I be the largest and heaviest piece of electrical plant ever to have been moved by road or rail in Britain left the Rugby works of the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd„ for Staythorpe. It was a super-tension grid transformer and weighed 140 tons as dismantled for carriage.
On the last stretch of the 70-mile route is a railway level crossing which can be made available by British Railways for only two hours next Sunday morning. Although it has been strengthened by re-bedding the sleepers, 25 tons of ships' steel plates have been ordered from South Wales in case it is necessary to provide additional reinforcement.
The movement is being carried out by Robert Wynn and Sons, Ltd., with a Cranes trailer and two oil-engined tractors. The complete outfit is 15 ft. high overall, 15 ft. 3 ins, wide and 150 ft. long. The total weight is 190 tons.
'AMSTERDAM SHOW A SHOW for commercial vehicles 11 only will be held in Amsterdam from April 23-May 2.