40 B-LICENCE APPLICATIONS HANG FIRE BECAUSE THREE SPONSORS FAIL TO APPEAR
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SEVENTEEN B-licence applicants, three objectors and their representatives had wasted journeys to Birmingham on Monday when the sponsors of 40 applications for motorway work failed to put in an appearance.
The West Midland deputy Licensing Authority, Mr. R. Hall, said he had received a telephone message that morning indicating that legal representative of the contractors who was appearing for seven applicants had been briefed too late to appear before August 24, the second day listed for the hearing.
Opposing an adjournment, Mr. D. Skelding—for three objectors, P. H. Cartwright and Sons Ltd., Male and Son (Pensmett) Ltd. and L.P. Transport (Tividale) Ltd.—said the contractors sponsoring the application—Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd., Conway's Sand and Gravels Ltd. and W. E. G. Howells and Partners—had known the date of the inquiry since August 3.
Yet they had taken no steps to obtain proper representation until this late stage, with no notice of any proposed adjournment until that morning.
Mr. Skelding said Mr. Male had returned from a holiday in Malta to continue opposition to the licensing of new tipper operators in the West Midlands and to give evidence that existing facilities were adequate.
Earlier in June, short-term applications had been opposed and refused. Since then the Licensing Authority had granted shortterm administrative licences for a number of vehicles to which there was no opportunity for objections.
The hearing of the cases of the applicants present should proceed.
Mr. Hall questioned several applicants and Mr. K. Goddard, of Hales Owen, said the transport manager of Conway's Sands and Gravels Ltd. had told him on Friday night that the hearing was likely to be postponed. Mr. Hall said there was no representative of the principal contractor present and the only supporting evidence was a number of "stock" letters.
Mr. Norman Carless said he had just been asked to represent Longford Construction Co. Ltd., which had taken over a contract held by W. A. Brotheridge with Taylor Woodrow. Longford supported two of the applicants anti a number of others wished to work through Longford instead of Conway's Sand and Gravels. These applications would now require republication.
Adjourning all the applications except that of Hingley Transport which was withdrawn, Mr. Hall warned that he would then expect witnesses from the contractors.