Decision favours Western Express
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• In a written decision on Friday, Mr. D. I. R. Muir, the Metropolitan LA, granted Western Express Haulage (E.C.C.) Ltd. a new A licence for four artics and one flat vehicle with a normal user of : "loaded or empty containers for collection and /or delivery to Freightliner terminals, collection and delivery of general goods into and out of applicant's store at Ironbridge Road, West Drayton, in conjunction with their G.H.84054 A/1, A/2 and A /3 licence service feeder vehicles, all within 75 miles."
Mr. Muir explained that the objectors, BR and NFC, were not concerned about the operations from the West Drayton base but by the effect the grant would have in increasing the carrying capacity of the trunk vehicles based in the Western traffic area, without proof of need. The objectors claimed that the vehicles to be stationed at West Drayton were Cornish-based, on a wide normal user, and that no suggestion had been made to delete an equivalent number of vehicles from the licences held in the Western area.
Mr. Muir said that this aspect had not been appreciated by the applicant and it had now agreed to surrender four artics authorized on its A licence in the Western traffic area: In addition the normal user was re-declared in a more restrictive sense.
The company asked that a flat vehicle should not be surrendered in the Western traffic area to compensate for the grant of a similar vehicle in the Metropolitan area.
"In my view," said Mr. Muir, "the offer made by the applicant company is reasonable."