Haulier's Application Challenged on Rates
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THE first application by a haulier to be disputed mainly on the question of rates was heard last week by Mr. W. P. James, West Midland Licensing Authority. Mr. A. G. Bird, of Wolverhampton, was seeking an A licence to cover three tractors, in conjunction with 17 articulated trailers, for a Continental service.
He explained that although there would be hardly any profit on the outward journey sto Rotterdam. carrying palleted pitch for the Midland Tar Distillers, Ltd.. he hoped to achieve 50 per cent. back-loading. The distillers would be charged £8 2s. 6d. a ton, which allowed him a maximum profit of 6s. 8d. for one delivery.
Unless the traffic could be carried at a low cost, the distillers would be priced out of the market by German competitors. The overall haulage cost included a charge of £30 for the return of the empty trailer.
Opposing the application, Mr. Edward Jones said it would be improper to grant a haulier a licence to run at a loss, as this was contrary to the 1933 Act. It would make fundamental inroads into the licensing system, because if every haulier could apply for an A licence on the grounds that he wanted to quote a low rate for a particular customer for special traffic, licences would be granted for more vehicles than could earn a profit.
For the applicant, Mr. H. Carless replied that rates were always closely allied to back-loads. Although rail trucks were theoretically non-returnable, they were put into service at the destination centre. and they probably did return at some later date, so in effect outward traffic was subsidized by back-loads. Maximum help should be given to those engaged in producing goods for export.
For British Road Services, Mr. P. Mitchell claimed that they had facilities for the export of goods on trailers. The costs put forward by Mr. Bird assuredly represented a loss.
Mr. James said he would give his decision on the application in the near future.
STREET-LIGHTING SURVEY
DiVISIONAL road engineers of the Ministry of Transport are to survey street lighting on all trunk and classified roads in the country. They will consult lighting authorities and Suggest that local joint advisory committees be formed to co-ordinate lighting in adjacent areas.
This was announced in the House of Commons last week by Mr. G. R. H. Nugent, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry in a debate initiated by Mr. A. Moyle (Soc., Oldbury and Halescoven). Mr. Moyle complained of the large number of lighting authorities.
£12.5m. P.T. YIELD
DURCHASE tax on commercial vehicles yielded £12.5m. in the year ended September 30, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury announced. A22