Council and Hauliers Clash on• Tippers
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ACONFLICT of evidence develOped ..between. witnesses for 'Westmorland County Councilarid a group of private hauliers at Kendal, last Week, owlthe acf4piacy of tippers available for county couticil road v works. .-The , hauliers.
:claimed . there were exeess bar the council contended that there was a " disturbing " shortage of these vehieles. , Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon. the Northern Licensing Authority, was hearing an application by Mr.R. W. Sanderson, Kendal, who wanted to put a 5-ton tipper on B licence. He asked for conditions limiting the vehicle's use to carrying road Inateiials for the county council, who had promised him work.
.1 he. objecttirs were...E Nelson and Sons, Arnside; . Davy and Co., Grange-overSands; J. Watson and Sons, Windermere: Mr. R. 0. Hodgson, Miinthorpe: and Mr. W. Wilson.
For the applicant, Mr. John A. Herbert, the county surveyor's chief clerk, said the vehicle would be available for work at short notice. Only 18 lorries had been offered for hire this year, compared with 28 in 1957, yet there were some big road schemes coming forward.
Uneconomic Rates Offered
For Watson's, Mr. L. Muscroft said they had not provided vehicles for the county council recently because of higher fuel costs and the uneconomic rates being offered. In 1935 and 1956 their vehicles did not average six months' work.
Mr. John Breaks, manager of Nelson's, said his concern operated 22 vehicles, of which eight , were on B licence. In January, they. had 76 idle vehicle days, and there were 23 in the first two weeks of February. If asked, they could do more work for the county council. They used to have four tippers regularly doing county council work, but now only two of their vehicles were employed. • Mr. John Kettell, secretary of Davy's, said there was an excess of tippers in the area. Davy's were prepared to tender and take on county council work.
Refusing the application, Mr. Hanlon said there seemed to be enough vehicles in the area, but if existing hauliers let down the county council, short-term licences could be granted to remedy deficiencies.