Separate Normal Users "Nonsense"—Mr. Quin
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IT was sheer nonsense to have separate normal users for four vehicles, Mr. W. Quin, Scottish Licensing Authority, said at Glasgow on Tuesday. Jenkin's Express Removals, Ltd., Giffnock, sought to add four vehicles (16 tons) to their A licence to replace four on special-A licences, two of which were based in the Metropolitan Area.
Mr. A. McKenzie, for the applicants, said the London-based vehicles were running regularly to Glasgow and would be better under direct control in Scutland.
After Mr, McKenzie had read out a separate normal user for each vehicle, specifying a great variety of commodities and destinations. Mr. Quin commented that if .Jenkins Express had applied for a B licence they would have had much wider scope. 1-le could not understand why applicants agreed to complicated individual normal users at meetings of road-rail negotiating committees.
Mr. Quin said he himself would determine the normal user and submit it to the applicants. If they approved of it, the application would be granted. If British Railways were dissatisfied they could appeal.
TANKER FLEET'S NORMAL USER QUESTIONED
THE normal user of an A licence held by Midland Road Tank Services, Ltd., Walsall, was closely examined by B.R.S. (Pickfords), Ltd., when a renewal was sought at Birmingham on Monday. After Mr. Brian Bush, of Midland Road Tank Services, had been cross-examined at length by Mr. A. W. Balne, for Pickfords, the application was adjourned by Mr. W. P. James, West Midland Licensing Authority.
Mr. Bush said the company sought the renewal of an A licence for nine vehicles. In their declaration of normal user they had tried to define more precisely the traffic being carried and this had led to the objection by Pickfords.
Mr. Balne recalled that at the last renewal the company had been authorized to operate six vehicles, one of them an articulated outfit, and the normal user was: "Bulk liquid and tar products, mainly in the Midlands; steel furniture, mainly London, South Wales, Liverpool and Sheffield."
Other vehicles and further classes of traffic had been added under subsequent grants but the normal user remained "mainly in the Midlands," although " Yorkshire, Lancashire, South East and South West England ". were added. The present application was still wider.
Mr. Rowland Wood, managing director, was questioned by Mr. Balne on figures showing traffic carried over and under 40 miles. He agreed with Mr. Balm that Yorkshire and Lancashire traffic referred only to the products of Yorkshire Tar Distillers.
Mr. Balne said Pickfords did not want to be oppressive, but it appeared that Midland Road Tank Services might set up wasteful competition.