45-tonner : "Panic" in State Transport
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THEHE application of the Red House Garage Co., Ltd., Coventry, for permission to convert its fleet to tractors and trailers was resumed before the West Midland Licensing Authority, last week. As reported. in "The Commercial Motor" dated June 22, the company sought this grant because it had incurred heavy tyre costs in the operation of articulated units. The company also sought to add another vehicle to its fleet.
Mr. T. Venn, who, with his wife, owns the company, stated that he proposed to take one vehicle off general haulage work and to put two more on the carriage of abnormal indivisible loads, In reply to Mr. A. W. Balne, for the objectors, the Railway and Road Haulage Executives, he denied that he was going to enter. the field of heavy haulage. He was not going to undertake any work that he had not already been doing. All that was required was to use tractors and trailers to reduce tyre costs.
In support of the applicant, Mr, E. Holmes, a Birmingham engineering contractor, stressed the difficulties he had met whenever he required a 45-ton vehicle. He commented that in the past he had found a "general air of panic" within the objectors' establishments whenever he had asked for such a machine.
The case was adjourned until August 7.
BAN ON LORRY WAITING
ACOMPLETE ban on the loading and unloading of goods vehicles on one side qf the street between 11.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. is proposed in 35 streets in 18 areas in and around London. Waiting by goods vehicles while loading and unloading will be restricted to 20-minute periods between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the " prohibited " side of the road.
These measures are to be introduced under a new London Traffic (Unilateral) Waiting Order. It has not yet been finally made. The London and Home Counties Area of the Traders' Road Transport Association is asking its members whethet the proposals will create undue traffic problems.
PRIORITY FOR BIRMINGHAM
THE need for improving Birmingham's highways was stressed to the Minister of Transport, last week, in a short debate in the House of Commons, Mr. F. Longden said that the city had few good streets and the withholding of authorization by the Minister to proceed with road works was cutting off the city's 'nose to spite the Nation's face.
Mr. J. Silverman supported Mr. Longden.
The Minister, in reply, agreed that the growth of road transport had outstripped the highway swum. He assured the previous speakers that the Birmingham scheme for roads improvement was having priority, but emphasized the financial difficulties involved.