B.T.C. to Oppose Unmodified Renewals
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R.H.A. Solicitor Gives the Latest News on Procedure of Acquisition
THE British Transport Commission has issued instructions to its
I Executives that renewals of licences without modification are to be opposed by any Executive, the interests of which are affected, when competition for short-distance work is likely to be intensified by the diversion of vehicles in consequence of the revocation of permits.
Hauliers who packed the Great Hall of Central Hall, Westminster, on Monday, heard Mr. C. W. H. Sparrow, chairman of the Metropolitan and South-eastein Area of the Road Haulage Association, make this announcement
Mr. Sparrow said that many hauliers those businesses were taken over 18 months ago still did not know what compensation they would receive. He called for thc development of interworking to overcome some of the present difficulties of hauliers.
Mr H. Norman Letts, legal adviser to the R.H.A., said that drivers were leaving British Road Services to return to free hauliers.
Urging operators whose permits were to ne revoked, not to sell in haste to the B.T.C. he declared: "From the chaos I have seen in Marylebone Road, there seems to be a lot to be gained by leaving .a decision until the last minute." A change of Government might occur before actotisition notices came into force
He announced that the B.T.C. was giving way and allowing interest on hire-purchase payments to be added hack to profits in assessing compensation.
kir. Letts also salt] that (as reported in "The Commercial Motor" on September 22i the R.H.A. had been in communicatien with the Commissioners of Inland Revenue on the subject of balancing charges. Suitable test cases were to be fought. He advised operators who were asked to pay these charges to give notice of appeal, in the case eithei oi partial or total acquisition Warning to Meat Hauliers Before the meeting was thrown open for questions. Mr. Letts warned meat hauliers not to ask questions in public. Their position was extremely difficult and they might harm their own interests and those of other meat carriers.
In answer to a question, Mr. Letts said that, even if the long-distance traffic carried by a 5-ton vehicle averaged only 2i tons per journey, he thought compensation for cessation of business would probably be at the full £70 per Ion, and not at £35 per ton. When challenged on this point, he refused to give his reasons for holding this opinion. 1-k thought also that where several vehicles, each involving a fraction of a Lou in carrying capacity, were to be acquireu the fractions would be added together, instead of calculating the capacity of each vehicle individually to the nearest complete ton. Two hauliers said from the hady of the hall that they had heard rulings to the contrary. Mr. Lefts warned hauliers whose businesses were acquired, not to part with their books to the B.T.C.
Several hauliers quoted Mr. J. Foley Egginton's view, reported in "The Commercial Motor" last week, that an operator could claim compensation for cessation of business, but keep his vehicles. In reply, Mr. Letts flatly contradicted it: He said he understood that, in the case of revowion, the B.T.C. had agreed to pay compensation to hauliers who were granted ordinary permits with original-permit rights. He could, however, find no authority for it in the Transport Act.
Mr. S. J. McAdden, M.P., called for concerted action to enlist public sympathy with the small haulier. He suggested that pressure should be brought to bear on Socialist M.P.s who, for sentimental reasons, remained in the Labour Party but were no longer
Socialists. Only a small increase in votes was necessary to ensure that the Transport (Amendment) Bill was passed in the House of Commons.
Even if the Bill failed at the present attempt, only a few by-elections had to be won to ensure that relief would be brought to the free haulier. In any event, a General Election could not be far away.
The meeting was organized by the Metropolitan and South-eastern Area of the R.H A.
OBITUARY
WE regret to announce the death of VI, MR. L. FLETCHER, traffic superintendent of Royal Blue Express Services, at the age of 49. He formerly held an executive position with the Western National Omnibus Co.. Ltd.