Road Transport Championed at the I.T.A. Conference
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The Consensus of Opinion Amongst the Industrial Transport Managers is Definitely Favourable to More Freedom for Road Goods Vehicles
L. AST week we gave resumes of those papers at the . Liverpool Conference of the Industrial Transport Association which intimately concerned road transport. This week we will start by giving what are, perhaps, the most important direct results of the Conference. These are the resolutions adopted at the general meeting of membea-s. They are as follow:—
This Association welcomes the suggestion of the elaboration of a road programme by the Minister of Transport, and trusts that be will set his plans in this connection into fuller operation without delay.
This Association is strongly of the opinion that the recent suggestion made in a Traffic Court and sustained by the Appeal Tribunal, that a trader no longer has the right to choose his own means for transport, is an unwarrantable interference with trade and commerce.
A Plea for Air-transport Encouragement.
This Association strongly urges H.M. Government to take immediate action to encourage and equip an effective ground organization in relation to aviation, in order that air transport may reach its maximum development. Copies of this resolution to be sent to the Minister of State for Air and the British Association of Chambers of Commerce, with a request for support. '
The resolution on air transport was probably considerB44
ably influenced by the visit of inspection to the Liverpool Air Port at Speke, which was made by the members during the conference.
On the first day, the Association was entertained to luncheon by the Commercial Motor Users Association; Mr. A. R. Jones, of Leeds (manager of the insurance department of the C.M.U.A.), presiding. He gave the members a hearty welcome and said that during the past three months he had felt keenly for many hauliers who were faced with bankruptcy. Many of them had been forced out of business mainly through having to go before the licensing authorities and being restricted in respect of their services; secondly, by the extreme action of the traffic insurance companies, who had increased premiums by as much as 75 per cent. Making it difficult, if not impossible, to meet standing charges. Hauliers were also faced with keen competition by the railways, which had taken advantage of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, by enormously cutting rates. He thought that during the next two or three years the industry would pass through a severe crisis.
In replying, Mr. J. J. Hughes (vice-president of the I.T.A.) said they were very concerned with the legislation affecting road transport, and resented anything which interfered with their business and industry.
Last Friday the conference members inspected the Mersey Tunnel control rooms and one of the ventilating towers, also walking through a section of the tunnel.
Much Criticism of the Railways.
At the afternoon meeting, further papers were read, and in that entitled " More Revolutions Still Needed on Our Railways," by Mr. H. R. Caulfield-Giles, A.C.I.S. (transport manager, Newton, Chambers and Co., Ltd., Sheffield) the much-vaunted Green Arrow railway service came in for a concentrated fire of criticism. Prior to the subject being opened for discussion the author called particular attention to main-line train services where no speed improvement has taken place for over 30 years.
Opposition to the Green Arrow system was expressed .by Mr. Grant (London), who said that the railways charged extra but "don't deliver the goods." Instances were given of " sm'alls " being 10 to 12 days in transit and it being impossible to get news of them. Mr. E. B. Saunders (Pinchin, Johnson and Co., Ltd.) said that he would like to see the Green Arrow dispensed with. He could bring concrete proof of a multitude of complaints. Records that he kept proved the position and surprised even the railway officials. Broad Street Station was overwhelmed and such was the number of items accepted for transmission by this means that it defeated its own ends. Unregistered goods that he had sent from London to Liverpool had been delivered before those under the Green Arrow. That the cost of carriage by the system was on the average increased by a third was suggested by Mr. J. W. Porter (R. Hood, Haggie and Co., Ltd„ Newcastle-on-Tyne), who pointed out that this arose because the registered consignment was usually a small quantity and the extra charge was 2s. Gd. This was particularly bad when it was considered that any benefit that might be given was obtained at the expense of traffic paying the existing rates. Attention was called by Mr. A. W. P. Mulligan (Director, J. Lyons and Co. (I.F.S.), Ltd., Dublin) to the fact that consignments per this system gave no preference where goods had to pass through the customs. In his experience there was little or no difference in the arrival times of registered and unregistered goods. Then came a paper on "What Ancillary Users Need from Vehicle Manufacturers," by Mr. G. S. Vickary (Transport Manager, Win. Younger and Co., Ltd., Edinburgh). Reference to the increased taxation was made by Capt. C.. F. Roberts (Hovis, Ltd.), who said that when a 6-ton oiler was standing idle for ' a week the standing charges came to as much as £11, which was a serious bur den to the industry. Standardization of design had been neglected and the recommendations of the S.M.M.T. had been ignored. In the present circumstances it would be better to buy a machine that was considered out of date if it was in accord with the remainder of the firm's fleet, rather than a new design that may not be so well known in the repair shop of the establishment.
How vehicle manufacturers had used finance companies in disposing of their goods was mentioned by Mr. H. H. Nut tall (Liverpool). In the end the interest paid by many small men who bought vehicles amounted to 60 per cent. before the loan was paid off. Frequently small contractors, who did not know how to average out their businesses, got into difficulties, then the companies came down on them.
A suggestion that the overloading of small vehicles with a consequent diminution of the safety of the roads should be considered by the branches was made by Mr. W. Short (F. Short and Sons, Newea.stle-on-Tyne).
At the annual dinner last Friday, the president of the I.T.A., Mr. P. J. H. Hannon, M.P., took the chair. After the loyal toasts, Mr. J. J. Hughes (vice-president of the I.T.A.), gave the toast: " The City and Port of Liverpool." One point he Made, after commenting upon the Speke Aerodrome, was that he considered that there was no hope for civil aviation by private enterprise.
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, in his reply, said that they were trying to make Liverpool the first civil air port in England, and they were about to spend another £30,000 on it. Referring to the Mersey Tunnel, he stated that the results obtained had been most satisfactory. The estimated receipts for the first year's operation had been doubled in eight months; it was thought that up to 900,000 people would use the tunnel in a year, but the actual figure was 1,750,900 in 91 months.
Associations Must Take the Broad View.
In proposing the toast of "The Industrial Transport Association," Mr. A. O. Roberts, M.P., said he greatly appreciated the work done by the Association in connection with road-rail legislation, but it was important to consider what it could do for the industry as distinct from the individual.It isa useful function to perform, but associations which helped only their own members would have little success. If more was desired, an association must give a practical contribution to the transport of the country. If one considered the debate onthe last day of the third reading of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, and the poor fight put up for road transport, it showed what was necessary. It seemed to him that an Association like the I.T.A. should see that goods are transported by the most economical and efficient method. There was no sign of a plan from the Transport Advisory Council in respect of the division of traffic, and the only resultsso far were great restrictions on one form of transport (the road). There were no signs of co-ordination and they must expect that the Government might come forward one day and run transport for them. He did not agree with this policy, but in the freedom to display initiative. In this respect the Association could have enormous influence.
Mr. W. Oldham (chairman, M.I.T.A.) said that when the Association was started he was asked if it were necessary, and he replied in the affirmative. It has taken seven years to achieve what has been done. There were now 14 active branches meeting regularly throughout the country, and four more were in train. A successful public examination scheme had been launched, and an appointments department established. He doubted whether the position of the industrial transport manager was fully appreciated,
' ' having regard to the great responsibilities undertaken by him. It was hoped to extend membership to at least 5,000.
In proposing "Our Guests," Mr. F. Smith (Unilever, Ltd.) said that in the Association was the germ of a national guild of transport as between buyers and sellers of transport, all able fully to co-operate and contribute to prosperity and national unity.
Mr. R. B. Stockdale (chairman, Road Haulage Association, N.W. Area), replying, said that road transport had rather overrun itself, and regulation had become essential. It was promised further legislation, but, at its best, this can only meet with partial success, which is offset by the harm done. More success would be achieved by cooperation between all the leaders of this side of transport.
The toast of "Our President" was proposed by Lt.-Col. J. Sandernan Allen, M.P., M.C. Mr. P. J. H. Hannon, M.P., in replying, Said that the purpose. in view was to co-ordinate and expand to the highest level the position of transport in this country.
Danger of Losing Bargaining Power.
The last paper was that of Mr. D. A. Elsses (indoor traffic manager, Lever Bros., Ltd.); it really constituted a summary of the other papers and-the conclusions arrived at. He asked "whether there was a probability of traffic being forced on the railways by direct legislation, as distinct from the indirect effect of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, etc., and if road _competition had done its most, so that we may once again be faced with a revival of railway monopoly and be deprived of all hope of cheaper goods travel? " He thought that unless the Government enacts that all heavy long-distance traffic must be borne by the railways, we need not be very, nervous that road transport will fail to keep its check upon the business of national transport. Mr. Oldham had touched upon a vital point when he spoke of the danger of transport combines being formed out of apparently innocuous agreements between rail, coastal, canal, and even road units. No one will dismiss lightly his warning that we are in danger of losing our bargaining power.
At the luncheon given to the I.T.A. by the R.H.A., N.W. Area, Mr. R. B. Stockdale (chairman of the area) said that restrictions were reasonable if designed for the safety of the public or with the object of helping industry to a better state of organization, but not to retard any particular branch of transport Steps must be taken to see that the construction which is being put on the 1933 Act does not destroy us. The ruling given that a trader has no longer the right to choose his own method of transport was a grave interference with the liberty of the subject. Transport was a constantly recurring cost, and anything which puts up its price hes a direct influence on the cost to the consumer. We were fast drifting towards such restrictive control as will amount to nationalization. The scheme suggested for Northern Ireland might be introduced into this country. The R.H.A. stands for unity and has been pressing for this amongst all transport interests.