14 to One Against Free Haulier
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APF'-LYING for a B licence to enable builders' supplies to be carried on Saturdays only on a vehicle at present restricted to operate on five days a week under an A-contract licence, Cheamside Haulage Co., Ltd., Sutton, found that 14 representatives of the Road Haulage Executive, apart from counsel, appeared at the hearing.
The case turned on whether the R.H.E. could undertake local haulage on Saturdays. The haulier stated that as a five-day week was worked by the R.H.E., it was not normally in a position to undertake work of this kind.
Under cross-examination, the traffic manager of the Croydon group admitted that the full driving staff was not called in on Saturdays', because the cost was too high. • Evidence was also given by Mr, R. H. Eimes, divisional traffic officer. South Eastern Division. and by the traffic officer of the Bermondsey group.
Under the A-contract licence, the vehicle was used for carrying flour for Nall, Davidson and Co.. Ltd.. on five days each week. A B licence was sought to enable the haulier to carry goods for thc millers, as well as for Lewis and Co. (Builders' Merchants). Ltd.. on Saturdays only, over a radius of 20 miles.
• On an earlier occasion when Lewis and Co had applied for vehicles from the local R.H.E. group on a Saturday morning. 3:1 hours had elapsed before the vehicle had appeared and it was driven by a Birmingham driver who had happened to be at the depot.
In a written decision given this week. the Metropolitan Licensing Authority refused the application.
"YEAR OF CRISIS" FOR C-LICENSEES " IF grave world issues do not over 1 shadow national affairs. I believe 1951 may quite possibly prove a year of crisis for us—a year in which continuing and increasing pressure will be brought to bear to deprive us of our freedom of choice and restrict our free dom of operation." • Col. A. Jerrett, president of the Traders' Road Transport Association. made this forecast in his New Year's message to members of the Association.. He added that last year's increase in membership was good, but did not go far enough.
"GESTAPO" METHODS ALLEGED IN STRIKE IN protest against what were described as " the Gestapo methods and general attitude of the management." a strike of 60 Road Haulage Executive drivers at the Pershore Rbad depot, Birmingham, which began last Monday. was • Inter the same day supported by drivers at the parent depot of No. 6 group at Tyburn Road, Erdington, Birmingham. • After a meat* of the men at -Per
' 'Roadaii bfficitl Of the 'Trans-port
• and General Workers' Union stated that the men had decided to stay out until A28 the depot superintendent and the assistant superintendent had been removed, The men refused to resume work while negotiations' continued. Complaints were made by the strikers of the state of the vehicles that they were asked to take • out and of the methods employed to check working times.
One of the drivers is reported to have said that he had never known conditions as bad as they were under the R.H.E. " In the old days we were under the supervision of men who understood the transport industry and drivers' problems." he said.
Other grievances concerned rates of pay. a recent award of 7s. a week having been offset by reductions in concession money.
COACH RESTRICTIONS RELAXED WHILST certain restrictions have VI' been placed on the movements of contract, carriages in London during the Festival of Britain. as announced in "The Commercial Motor dated December 22. some relaxations in the original proposals have been granted by the Metropolitan Licensing Authority.
These refer to organized visits to Parliament, conferences and important social events, and coaches used in such circumstances may possibly be exempt from the prohibitions already laid down. Application for exemption should be made to the Commissioner of Police for the City 'of London, 26. -Old Jewry. London. E.C.2. for the City area. and to ,the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (Traffic Department). New Scotland Yard, London. S.W.1. for the Metropolitan. Police area. Windscreen labels will be issued by the police where permission is granted.
PACKAGING AND TRANSPORT
DURING the Packaging Exhibition and Conference, to be held at Olympia, London, from January 30February. 9. Mr. T E. Jackson, of British Railways, will read a paper on "Transport in Relation to Packaging."