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Ban on Open-top Cattle Carriers being Sought

24th April 1959, Page 36
24th April 1959
Page 36
Page 36, 24th April 1959 — Ban on Open-top Cattle Carriers being Sought
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

A NUMBER of operators of livestock vehicles in Oxfordshire and the

West Midlands believe that regulations may soon be introduced prohibiting the use of an open-top third deck for the transport of animals. This view is mainly based on reliable reports that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is taking active steps to persuade the authorities to impose the ban.

Open-top three-deckers are used by some operators in preference to the closed-top type to enable the vehicles to pass under low bridges The bodies`have detachable side boards fitted above the second deck which afford little protection against wind and rain. The wind is considered to cause most suffering to the animals, and sheep have been known to jump over the side boards.

Some operators find a third deck offers the only economic means of transporting animals to distant markets and, in a typical case, the market authorities approve the use of three-deckers provided they give adequate protection.

A design of detachable top affording greater protection is now being considered by a well-known bodybuilder.

The high centre of gravity of a loaded three-deck body is regarded as a serious operational hazard by many established hauliers if the unladen weight of the chassis is not sufficient to reduce the centre of gravity of the laden vehicle to a normal level.

At least one casr, Las been officially reported of a laden three-decker mounted on a four-wheeled chassis overturning because of the high load. Unofficial reports indicate that accidents of this type are common.

All those who have emphasized the danger of running a light chassis with high load advocate that a three-deck body should be mounted on a sixor eight-wheeler in the interests of safety.

TRANSPORT INQUIRY URGED

ACALL for an inquiry into Northern Ireland's transport system was made last week by Belfast Chamber of Trade in a message to ffie Government. They pointed out that the railways had had to face fierce competition from road transport when co-operation and integration would have been more useful.

" There can be no doubt," they said, "that more people and more merchandise are being carried by privately owned vehicles because of the relatively high charge. made by the Ulster Transport Authority."

COMMER 1-TON F.C.. VAN

QIM1LAR in appearance to their Ii-tonner, a 1-ton forward-control van of 280-cu.-ft. capacity has been introduced by Cornmer Cars, Ltd. It has a 9-ft. 3-in, wheelbase and may have either a 48.5 b.h.p. oil or 56 b.h.p, petrol engine driving through a four-speed synchromesh gearbox. The body is 9 ft. 2 in. long, and width and height are both 5 ft. 6 in.


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