Dissension on "Blanket" Permits
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Transport for Payment Under C Licences Now Allowed in Some Areas
BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
DISSENSION has broken out among some Licensing Authorities (Regional Transport Commissioners) about the issue to C-licensees of what is, in effect, a " blanket' permit to carry goods for each other under C licences.
Regional Transport Commissioners for the Metropolitan, SouthEastern and West Midland Areas, and the North-Western Licensing Authority, have given such authorization to members of the Traders Road Transport Association, The Metropolitan and South-Eastern Transport 'Commissioners have also granted it to members of the National Union of Manufacturers.
When a representative of the East Midland Commissioner was asked by The Colnmercial Motor why he had not given similar.‘permission, he replied that it appeared to transgress the announcement of the Minister of Transport that " blanket" permits would not be given.
Certainly, it is a means for shortcircuiting the conditions required for the grant of a short-term B licence during the fuel emergency. for it has been slated by the Government that to obtain such a licence it would he necessary to show that there would be a material saving of fuel (The Commercial Mowr. December 7).
On the other hand, this method of by-passing the procedure for obtainine the B licence will reduce the pressure on the Transport Commissioners, and give them more time to devote to applications for supplementary fuel allowances and to continue with their normal licensing duties.
I understand that the N.U.M. were the first to apply for the dispensation. The T.R.T.A. application followed almost immediately. In both instances the authority covers only members of those bodies.
B Licences for Non-members Members seeking to carry for nonmembers will have to apply for a B licence. T.R.T.A. members have been reminded that they must have their insurance policies endorsed to carry goods for other people.
In their letters of authorization, both the Metropolitan and South-Eastern Transport Commissioners specify that the goods carried must 'normally have been carried in the C-licensed vehicles " of the other members. No time limit was mentioned in the South-Eastern Commissioner's letter: that from the Metropolitan Commissioner limits, the validity of the authority to the period from December 17 to March 16 next.
Members of the T.R.T.A. in the South-Eastern Area have been told they need not, at this stace. apply for shortterm B licences_ nor do they need at present to surrender their C licences and discs.
Although no such proviso was mentioned by the Metropolitan Commis sioner, it is understood that the operators concerned need not write. to the regional offices for confirmation.
Although he has granted a "blanket" permit in respect of T.R.T.A. members in his area. the North-Western Licensing Authority has refused a similar facility to members of the
They will have to make application for short-term B licences.
The East Midland Commissioner has approved a number of pooling schemes among C-licence operators in his area, and has intimated to individual applicants that short-term B licences will be granted to them when pooling schemes have been formed.
In the Western Area, a representative of the Commissioner said that many inquiries had been made by C-licence operators who wanted to do "pure haulage work" and they had been discouraged from applying for short-term licences, LONDON PAY TALKS AGAIN ADJOURNED
AT a further meeting last week. negotiators of the London Transport Executive again resisted the demand of the Transport and General Workers' Union for an improved pay offer for their 53,000 bus workers.
Mr. Frank Cousins, general secretary of the Union, said the proposed increases of Ss, a week for staff on country buses and 6s. a week for those on Central London services were not enough. He repeated their claim for an extra £1 a week.
Negotiations will continue today.
T.U.C. OPPOSE EXTRA FUEL TAX
AFTER their monthly meeting last week, the T.U.C. General Council declared their opposition to the increased duty on petrol and derv. They criticized ,the encouragement givelt to undertakings to pass on the higher tax to the public. The extra duty had, they said, already set in motion increases in prices of other goods and services.
The Council deplored the way in which some concerns were unjustifiably raising their prices on account of the extra tax. These increases might become permanent and cause a further upward twist in the inflationary spiral.