Road and Rail Parleys
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Some Points of Interest to Our Readers From the Comments Made by Railway Chairmen at The Respective Annual General Meetings of the Four Main-line Companies
THE chairmen of the four main-line railways have at their a.g.m.s raised several interesting and. in some cases, controversial points. Colonel Eric Gore Browne, D.S.O.,. 0.B.E,, of the Southern Railway, said, concerning road transport,. that he had explained last year the happy relationship which exists between the company and a number of bus' undertakings in the South of England. On the freight side the company had, large interests in Hay's Wharf Cartage Co., Oickfords, and Carter Paterson.
In January the new National Road Transport Federation Was incorporated, and the railways have indicated their desire to discuss With this bodytheir mutual post-war" problems. The railways appreciated the part which toad trans• port must play in the future of this country and its industries, and they seek to, achieve harmbny with it.
Reverting to more general matters, he said they weie told that private enterprise, to survive,, must make further contributions to this new world, and, at the same time, those in it were invited to be adventurers. He knew thathe would speak for all his colleagues when he stated that they were prepared to accept this invitation. Surely they had the right to claim to Le allowed to carry on in the post-war world under fair and equal competition with rival interests.
In reply. to a question, the chairman said that his company would in no way associate itself with a monopoly of railway traasport-. The war had taught a lot, and it might be that there would be closer working between the four main line companies, but the Southern would fight to maintain its individual entity.
Demand for Early Decision
Sir Charles Hambro, Of the Great Western Railway, said that the anticipation of an early cessation of hostilities brings into prominence the need for an early decision on the question of the future of all forms of internal transport. He referred to the speech made by Lord Leathers in October, 1943, when he said that the financial position of the railways must he firmly established and that the object in view was to co-ordinate and maintain a transport system which will meet the needs of each separate industry or activity and provide the • best possible service at ihe least real cost to the community.
Although for many years prior to the war the financial positiOn of the -railways was being steadily and increasingly undermined by unregulated road motor competition, they still have ample resources, and, given equality of .treatment of all forms of internal transport, their financialposition could be regarded as firmly established.
Sir Charles claimed that, as the company's record shows, it had hitherto been able • to meet all reasonable deniands byusers, and there is no reason to think thatit would be enable to do so in future. .. •
The, company's view. was that the main-line railways shbald. continue as 'four separate entities, and that co-ordination of all forms of internal trans:, port should be effected, sci as to secure to tigers, so far as practicable; a free. .choice of alternative facilities, with
competition on a fair basis. is along these lines that the coriipany is proceed ing with its post-war. plans. • .
Co-ordination of Facilities The main problem is to determine the best means for co-ordinating rail and road ..facilities, but little progress can be achieved until the railways know what arrangements are being made to put the road-haulage industry on a properly organized basis. They were not concerned with road hauliers operating purely local services, but co-ordination of competing transport 'industries cannot be effective until -all are subject to similar obligations and responsibilities. in respect of the provision, of reasonable facilities for traders, regulation of rates, and their application without discrimination between traders and between routes.
He also referred to theNational Road Transport Federafion and the desire to exchange views with that body. Meanwhile, the Road and Rail Conference was making good progress with the preliminary work of preparing a common_ classification of freight traffic, uniforna conditions of carriage, and new rate structures.
Receipts. in the years immediately before the war cannot be regarded as indicative of the probable post-war earnings. It may be assumed that 1.,y then road motor competition will be properly regulated, and the company anticipates considerable benefit from increased employment, the arrangement s proposed under the Distribution of industry Bill, and the development of holiday and tourist traffic. .
In his-review of matters concerning the L.N.E. Railway, Sir Ronald W. . Matthews said that the past year had seen an increase in the number and value of claims submitted, _particularly, in respect of goods lost or stolen, the commodities suffering being mainly those in short supply or, which can be obtained legitimately only under rationing
arrangements.' . • As regards town planning, transport considerations play an important part in such schemes, and there had been, as a rule, close eo-operation, between the planning authorities and the company.
When hostilities cease, it will not' be possible so to reduce 'the level of wartime expenditure as to conform to an abrupt reduction in traffic, and it is obvious that an increase in the level of rates and fares will have to be effected, and this may well have • to be substantial.
Sir Ronald referred also to the railways' ways' desire to discuss proposals for a reorganized transport system with the .N.R.T.F., and mentioned that the Federation had expressed its willingness to have a general discussion on the matter.
He had confidence regarding great improvements, provided that the railWays receive from Parliament ahd the Nation the fair treatment in relation to other forms of transport to which their great services to the comfoutiitv.
imlis putably entitled them and which the national interest demands.
'Plea Against Nationalization He .ariade a strong plea against nationalization, and said that it will be a sorry' day indeed for the people of this country if the limp and clammy hand .of State control descends permanently upon the activities of the transport world.
Lord Royden, C.H., of the L.M.S., also 'referred to the wave of theft which has swept the country, and stated that during the past year the company had prosecuted 3,400 persons for this offence,
lie was the only chairman who did not refer to the road and rail problem.
It is obvious from these various statements that the railways are looking for a large measure of co-operation from the road-transport interests. • There will be no harm in the N.R.T.F.
and the • railway representatives exchanging views—in fact, this.may he to the advantage of boll sides—hut it is important that those on the road Side should play their cards very carefully and with a full realization that whilst they may not hold a majority of the trumps, they now have a much better hand than was formerly the case.