Unilateral Expansion, But Not Change A NEW phase of railway opposition
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to renewals of A licences, on the score of change of operation, was set before Mr. Joseph Farndale, NorthWestern Deputy Licensing Authority, at a Manchester inquiry, last week. Beckett Bros. (Haulage), Ltd., which has 13 vehicles and two trailers based at Stoke-on-Trent and six vehicles based at Widnes, made application to take
over the business of Messrs. H. Bladon and Sons, of Moss "Side Manchester, with four vehicles for local work and a daily trunk service to Birmingham. The railway objection was directed to the renewal of Messrs. Bladon's licence on the ground of change of operation, the suggestion being that, in 193S and 1939, the Birmingham aide of this business was six to nine times as great, in extent, as it had been before that period, Mr. I leery Backhouse, solicitor, contended that there had been no change of operation within the meaning of the Appeal. Court rulings. Owing to the decline of the Lancashire cotton trade and loss of milk contracts as a result of changes under the Milk Marketing Board, Messrs. Bladon had developed the Birmingham side of their business.
The position was a new one, but the change was justified by prior operation, the trunk service to Birmingham having been run since 1935. It was a case of trade expanding on one side, rather than on another—a perfectly normal state of affairs.
On this issue Mr. Ferndale reserved his decision, but on a related application by A. H. Booth (Manchester) Ltd., which had four vehicles, mostly at work for Messrs. Bladon, be limited the licence to one vehicle on his regrant.