NATIONAL LINKING-UP OF FREIGHT EXCHANGES.
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Details of Important Conferences of Association of Road Transport Clearing Houses.
TO 00-OPERATE with existing road transport organizations and, with their support, to institute a national road transport service by means of a. linkedeip system of clearing houses and traffic agencies in, all parts of the country, there has just come into being. an Association of Road Transport Clearing Houses. In conjunction with the Automobile. Association, the Association of Road Transport Clearing Houses presents over 600 traffic agencies. The inaugural meeting, which was held in Liverpool, was attended by representatives from Birmingham, Nottingham, Luton, Cleckheaton and Spenborough, Manchester, Bolton, Bradford, and Liverpool. Mr. J. F. Shaw, who was -elected to the chair, in the course of his remarks, said that, if road transport was to be fully developed, it would be necessary to link up the various clearing houses throughout the country. At present, they were all working on different rates and lines, and generally they were not familiar with the systems in, operation elsewhere. Through an association there could be aegeneral interchange of views and experiences which would be very valuable, and, by co-operating with each other; they could effecteconsiderable reductions of the dead mileage being run.
Representatives present at the conference asserted that the haulage contractors had not, in the main, supported them in the maintaining of agreed rates as they had promised to do when the clearing houses weetrestablished. In two centres it was stated that the relations exiating were of a most cordial nature, but a certain amount of rate cutting existed. It was generally agreed that, if successewere to be obtained in regard to an Association, of Road 'Transport 'Clearing Houses, the mutual co-operation of the-trade associations, naulage contractors, and clearing houses was absolutely essential.
The representative of the Amalgamated Team Owners Association, Manchester, expressed the view that the National Allianceof Commercial Road Transport Associations and Federations would be, in no way, opposed to the proposed association.
In the general dismission which followed, the prevailing view was that an association should be formed, and then, as an association, they should approach
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the national transport associations without delay, with a view to securing their co-operation in the linking.up of existing and prospective clearing houses. It was decided that the name of the organization should be The Association of Road Transport Clearing Howes, and it was agreed that only neutral parties be eligible for membership. Haulage cOn:erectors, therefore, who tare working, clearing houses cannot be admitted.
Mr. J. F. Shaw, of Liverpool, was elected chairman; Mr. F. R. Ritchie, secretary; and Messrs. W. E. Aston (Birmingham), J. R. Vose (Bolton), and W. Donaldson Wright (Nottingham), a special committee.
The recognition of the Association by the official bodies, Associated Chambers of Commerce, Commercial Motor Users Association, National Alliance of Commercial Road Transport Associations and Federations, and the National Union of Horse and Motor Vehicle Owners, was ...regarded as most desirable, and the secretary was instructed to communicate as soon as possible with ilexes associations. It was also decided to get into touch withglthe principal Government departments, e,g.' the-Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Food; G:P.0:„etc. Insurance was discussed, andit was found that this matter -was regarded differently in the various districts, in some of which haulage contractors were cotered, and in others very few had their loads insured. In view of the fact that road transport must compete with the -railway companies, if it is to become of national service, it was considered that the same facilitiesas to -insurance Must be given by zoa,d transport es-at present offered by the railway companies. Only one clearing house in each town is to be recognized by the Association.
Demurrage charges were. considered at length, and a decision was reached that these could not be recognized unless the contract stipulated any such charge, hut it was considered that the Association should approach the responsible autherities in towns where delay occurred,' with a view to obviating them as farias.posBible. at docks; warehouses, and factories.
The Association. is not to take,aey action at present in theestandardization of rates, owing to theedifferent Classes and conditions .of traffic in each area, and the-inability of haulage contractors to maintain fixed rates. A further conference of members of the Association of Road Transport and. Clearing Houses and representatives of Allied Atisociatieias was held at Birmingham on Saturday, the 17th inst. In addition to thetowns already mentioned, representatives were present from London, Hanley, Barton-on-Trent, Leeds, and Mr. R. H. Montgomery, of the Industrial Vehiele Section of the Aidornobile Association, and Mr. C. F. Milligan, Midland secretary of the A.A. and M.te, Birmingham. From Captain F. G. Bristow, general secretary of the Commercial Motor Users Association, Mr. R. Bailey, secretary of the National Alliance of Commercial Road Transport, Asscoiations and Federations and representatives of freight exchanges at Leicester. Exeter, Southampton, and Bristol, were received apologies for absefee. The chairman urged that 'the systematic development of road services should be commenced, and, although private enterprise had done wonderfully well, in the organization of return loading bureaux, the time had now arrived when a plan of procedure should be,considered for mapping outroutes, in, say, 40-mite zones round our ports, with trunk readwayssconnecting up all principal towns.. Thousands of tons of fish, fruit, and vegetables were allowed to goto waste annually for the lack of adequate trans. port. new, better and wider roads were required to stand the strain upon them, and as the volume of traffic increased, detdur routes, through and around busy and congested towns, would have to be planned.
Captain Montgomery, of the A.A. and MU., gave an outline of the scheme now being proceeded with by them, and stated that his organization would be pleased to co-operate with the Associatien of Road Transport Clearing Houses. The Automobile Association and Motor Union scheme would open up a new field for road transport ip the smaller towns, where they would have an embryo clearing house to develop with the traffic.
The chairman stated that the Coins meroial Motor Users Association, had officially recognized the Association of Road. TransportClearing Houses.
Representatives of the various Chambers of Commerce added that the new organization would also probably receive the' support of the British Association of Chambers of Commerce.