UK-FRANCE HAULAGE PROBLEMS LESSENING
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By lain Sherriff DECIPROCAL trading difficulties facing
UK and French hauliers are gradually being overcome. This cheering news was given to members of South Western Traffics Ltd. last week in Le Havre by Mr. J.Weinstein, head of the international branch of AFTIR.
M. Gallopin, a French refrigeration haulier, stressed the fact that although a UK-France pact on haulage was expected later this year all was not "plain hauling" at the moment. His latest difficulty was in obtaining return loads and he looked forward to the time when South Western Traffics would be able to help him to do so.
Mr. D. 0. Good, chairman of South Western Traffics and leader of the expedition to France (CM, last week), said that this same problem was experienced by British hauliers operating in France—particularly those concerned with refrigerated traffic.
"The administrative difficulties at Government level are possibly greater than the
commercial difficulties," said Mr. Good. "Hauliers can overcome the commercial problem; the Governments' are less easy to resolve."
He highlighted one of the difficulties of French hauliers in Britain: they have to apply to two Government departments—in one case for a road fund licence and the other for a carrier's licence.
"A ridiculous situation arises when the Treasury issues a four-month licence and the Ministry of Transport a three-month licence. And the carrier entering Britain on the last day of the month and leaving the next day has to pay for four months and then claim two months' rebate."
Both British and French hauliers agreed with Mr. Good's suggestion that commercial problems could best be overcome by individual hauliers contacting each other. French hauliers were invited to list their difficulties for SWT which considered that it could overcome them. It was felt that there could be an early build-up of exchange traffic.
Mr. Good is arranging further discussions.