Rail Rate-cutting Cuts Earnings
Page 34
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AN ONO decrease in gross earnings over 12 months was because of rate-cutting by British Railways, to whom floating and seasonal !traffic had been •lost. This decrease had been borne entirely by sub-contractors.
Mr. S. A. Hughes, managing director of 'General Wharfage and Roadways (Liverpool), Ltd., told Mr. F. Williamson, North Western Licensing Authority, this on Tuesday, when the company sought to add a vehicle of 31 tons unladen to their A licence.
Mr. D. H. Mace, for the applicants, said that in May they were granted an additional eight-wheeler for the carriage of ships propellers, on an undertaking to surrender a smatter vehicle. The new vehicle had now been delivered, and it had been found that if the smaller vehicle were given up, one of their customers, Kirby Containers (Liverpool), Ltd:, would be in difficulties.
Questioned by Mr. A. W. Balne, for the British Transport Commission, Mr. Hughes agreed that the figures were down. But the loss, he said, was entirely because of rate-cutting by the nationalized concerns which absorbed traffic formerly carried by sub-contractors as return loads.
If the evidence had been before the court in May, said Mr. Mace, the surrender of a vehicle would not have been suggested. The B.T.C. must not be allowed to suggest that additional facilities should not be granted until customers were completely dissatisfied with the service given.
Refusing the application, Mr. Williamson said that, from the figures, not only were the company's sub-contracting earnings down by £8,000 since 1957, but there was also an apparent loss of £2,000 on their own vehicles.
YORKSHIRE-NORTH WALES THROUGH SERVICE
THE North Western and Yorkshire HE Commissioners, in a reserved decision announced. on Tuesday, have granted a linking condition to companies operating Liverpool -Newcastle upon Tyne express services. It will make possible the through conveyance of passengers from Leeds and other Yorkshire towns to North Wales resorts.
The Commissioners said that in granting the licences and backings, together with the modification introducing specific departures from Leeds at 6.30 a.m. on certain Saturdays, they noted that this was the only timing mentioned in the companies' declaration of intention to operate through vehicles to North Wales.
The companies concerned were the North Western Road Car Co., Ltd., Northern General Transport Co., Ltd., United Automobile Services, 'Ltd., Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., and the Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co., Ltd.