Rail Janker Grant • Cut by. Tribunal THE g rant of
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four extra vehicles on 1 A licence to McKelvie and Co., Ltd., Barrhead, was a wrong decision by the Scottish Licensing Authority, the Transport Tribunal decided in Edinburgh last week. They ordered that the grant should be reduced to two vehicles to show their disapproval of the company's .irregular operation. Sir Hubert Hull, president, said that in 1956 McKelvie's obtained two special A licences, and among the vehicles covered were three known as rail " junkers " or " jankers." Their construction made them articulated outfits within the meaning of the Construction and Use Regulations, which laid down that the total weight of an articulated vehicle with eight wheels must not exceed 24 tons. As these units had an unladen weight of just under 12 tons the effect was that the load to be carried on them could not exceed 12 tons. However, the outfits were used to haul loads exceeding 12 tons until in May, 1958, the localtaxation authorities drew the company's attention to the matter. Later, claiming they, had lost carrying capacity through reclassification of the outfits, the company were granted the four extra vehicles. Sir Hubert commented: " Whatever the focal 'taxation authorities may think -or do, or whatever the Excise Act may require in the form of taxation, it has nothing to do with the question of what vehicles are entitled at law to carry."' The Authority should not have granted the four vehicles sought. Even if there had been no proved irregularity the grant should not have been more than three vehicles. The proper way for the Tribunal to mark their disapproyaI of the company's, admitted irregularity was to reduce the grant to two vehicles. The appeal was lodged by the British Transport Commission and Gavin Wilkie, Ltd.
GHANA BECOMING ASSEMBLER
rHEVROLET and Opel trucks, Fer1---• guson tractors and German Matador buses are to be assembled in Ghana by the Union Trading Co. in the new town of Tema. Bedford vehicles will be assembled by the United Africa Co., also in Tema. B.M.C. vehicles are being built by Ghana Motor Industries.