2,000 Applications for B.T.C.
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List: Response "Moderate"
RY Monday of this week, the British Transport Commission had " received 2,000 applications for the first list of British Road Services' vehicles and other property for disposal, First intimation that the vehicles were available was contained in an advertisement published on
November 18.
A spokesman of the Commission told The Commercial Motor that they regarded the response as moderate. He pointed out that copies of catalogues had been sent to the Road Haulage Association's area offices and the figure of 2,000 referred only to applications received directly
by the B.T.C. Isolated complaints have been made_
of delay in receiving particulars from the Commission, but they are not regarded seriously. The Commercial Motor was told that when a request for a catalogue arrived, an instruction was sent at once to the printers at Norwich, who posted -ate catalogue to the applicant the following day.
Advertisements Inconspicuous There have also been complaints that, the advertisements were too inconspicuous and difficulty was experienced in tracing them in some newspapers. They appeared as classified advertisements. Some operators believe that if small display spaces had been taken the announcements could more easily have been found.
Recipients have been impressed with the format of the documents received from the Commission. The forms are completed and are then reduced photographically to a size of 91 in. by 51 in. Each applicant receives two sets of photostats, one to be filled up and returned to the Commission and the other to be retained for information.
On the cover is a letter from the chief secretary which gives the date by which tenders have to be submitted. Then follow pages containing the address of the property, in some cases with maps;, instructions for the completion. of the forms; a form of tender; particulars of property for sale; conditions; details of freehold or' leasehold property, and a statement of the number of •weeks to completion.
Details of Vehicles Particulars of vehicles include make, registration number, date of first registration_ and unladen weight, but not
payload capacity. Lists of plant and stores are given in great detail.
Curiosity has been aroused by the code "66" on the forms. This is an internal reference number of B.R.S. and has no other significance.
On Monday, representatives of the management in the Midland Division of British Road Services met trade union officials in Birmingham to discuss the redundancy which would result from disposal.
Last Sunday, a group of north
country operators met ..to decide the purchase of KR.S. units, An indepen dent adviser was present. He is to submit tenders for several of the
) hauliers.
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