INQUIRY INTO ASSIGNMENTS
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Probitof Transfers ! S ecial A Vehicles Examined by North Western Authority P
APUBLIC inquiry was held by Mr. F. Williamson, North Western Licensing Authority, on Monday, into the assignment of special A-licensed vehicles as he wished to examine the probity of the transfers. Questions concerning the alterations of the weights of vehicles, coivequent. upon their conversion from platform lorries into tankers, arose.
Bulk Liquid Transport, Ltd., Salford, sought sanction for the assignment by J. Greenwood and Son (Oldham), Ltd., of a vehicle of 5 tons and three trailers, and that of two vehicles of 10 tons by Harrisons Haulage (Stevenage), Ltd. Mr. Williamson said that this would not normally have involved a public hearing, but he was not satisfied that the B.L.T. application should be granted.
He stated that he wished to give B.L.T. the opportunity to satisfy him that the purported assignments of the vehicles and trailers were not spurious or fictitious transactions, and that the information
given concerning bases and weights was .
"The reason why I have taken this unusual step is. because of the .background to the licensing of the fleet .of, vehicles of the applicant company," said Mr. Williamson. "To take a ca:se in point, on November 22, 1956, they applied -for a special -A licence on • the assignment of vehicle registration number GICD..222, described as a flat with an -unladen weight of 7 tons 14 -cwt. 56 lb. .
"Flat" Became Tanker " Examination of the registration book revealed that the vehicle was originally" a flat vehicle of• 8 tons 4 cwt. 56 lb. Following upon a declared weight change on January 16, 1957,, . . . the unladen weight had been registered by the local taxation officer at 7 tons 14 cwt. • 56 lb. The registration book now Shows the vehicle to be a tanker with a registered weight of 10 tons 9 cwt. 79 lb., after having a stainless-steel tank fitted on April 17, 1957;
" Some weeks ago," he .continued, " saw a director of the applicant company and told him of my anxieties about the licensing activities of the company. He explained that the action by the company was based on legal advice. At the same time he said if they had done anything wrong they must be prepared to take the consequences. We arranged that the next application from the company should be taken to a public inquiry."
Applications Withdrawn
Mr. Williamson also referred to two recent applications which had been withdrawn after he had instituted inquiries. What seemed to be incorrect details had been given.
Certain letters requesting further information were sent and resulted in my receiving a letter requesting the cancellation of the applications. I am considering whether I can allow the withdrawal of the applications under the last sentence of paragraph 8 of the first schedule of the Transport Act, 1953," he said. " In yet another recent case, namely in connection with a request dated March 7, 1958, that the vehicles LVE 230 and LVE 232 should be substituted temporarily by vehicles UYG 657 and UYG 658, the request was withdrawn when 1 wrote to ask for further information."
Replying to Mr. A. Goff, for B.L.T., Mr. B. Skelley said that his company had 24 vehicles on special A licence, 22 of which, all now tankers, were based .in" Lancashire. During 1956-57, they had purchased, platform lorries and converted them into tankers, with an increase in weight. The Road Haulage Association had advised them that this procedure
would be in order. .
213.L.T.• agreed to take the Oldhambased vehicles from Greenwood, subject to the transfer being granted. The intention was to make them into articulated. Units. Harrisons' vehicles Were 'already in their possession, and it was proposed" to serve the whole of England with them whereas the Greenwood vehicles would serve the same area as before:
Work Changing The traffic of the ex-Harrison vehicles would not be the same, . btit work was changing in any case, said Mr. Skelley. All transactions were bona fide and the policy of substituting tankers for flats was being pursued. The company had not understood that it was necessary to inform the Authority of the increases in weight. There had been no question of concealment.
Mr. D. H. Mace, for the objecting , companies, questioned Mr. Skelley regarding the replacement of platform vehicles by fresh chassis and their conversion into tankers. Mr. Mace said that in every case where the registration was of a platform lorry, it was quite clear that the B.L.T. had never used or intended to use such a vehicle, and that the purchase was one of convenience for the purpose of the Act.
PROFIT AND LOSS
Martin Waller. Lid., C178,107 net profit before £89,659 tax. Year's dividends 171,4 per cent.
Anti-Attrition Metal Co., Ltd., 528,930 profit before 511,875 tax. Year's dividend 4 per c<:111.
Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., £100,749 group profit after £59.129 tax. Year's dividends 2211, per cent., including 71/2 per cent. bonus.
Mr. Skelley said that light aluminium tanks were put on to some vehicles while the permanent tanks were being built. Replying to Mr. Mace, he agreed that it was the intention of B.L.T. to obtain special A licences with, the ultimate object of increasing their contract work in the area.
Mr. Williamson observed that, the assignment notices were unqualified by any mention, of vehicles passing back if the .applications 'were not granted, .• -Higher Weight
Mr. Mace said that the crux of the case was that if the intention were to acquire a 9-ton vehicle, this could not. be done when r. the specified. weight,. was 7 tons 13 cwt. The north-west was a great field for bulk liquid transport and the applicants' work was coming" from existing operators.
At the end of 1956' the applicants purchased several vehicles on special A licences, There was no goodwill attached and they had to find work for them said Mr. Goff. Steps which had been taken by the applicants had been with the tun knowledge nf the R.H.A., who had taken legal advice, so there was no cjuestion. of 'clecention in the matter. He agreed that it Would have been better had the' Authority been told when the variations were being made..
Transfer Refused
The Authority refused to grant the transfer of the two vehicle's previously based at Stevenage, saying that they could not conveniently serve the same area. The application concerning one -of the trailers was granted. Decision on the remainder of the application was reserved by Mr. Williamson, who said he would require more evidence with regard to the weight of the vehicles.
He suggested that the applicants should draw up a statement of what each vehicle carried, together with its registration number. If all were in order, he would probably be able to grant the application. He would reauire the applicants to satisfy him that the two vehicles concerned in the applications which had been withdrawn had not been and would not be assigned. Objection in " Linking " Case Overruled. • DECISION was reserved by the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners on Monday When the West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., applied to introduce through fares by linking stage services from Bradford and Leeds to Harrogate, Ilkley, Grassington and other points. The company sought to encourage passengers from densely populated areas to travel by rural routes.
Mr. W. Hargrave, for the company. said that through fares would be cheaper than a summation of fares for two or "nore short journeys, but would be in accordance with the company's scale attached to their licences in 1957.
Mr. Malcolm Barr, assistant general manager of Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., said that West Yorkshire's intentions had not been made clear in Notices and Proceedings. They represented an attempt to create a new form of excursion traffic, he contended.
Maj. F. S. Eastwood, chairman. rejected these submissions and pointed out that Messrs, W. Pyne and Sons. Harrogate, excursions operators. had objected. For this firm it was argued that West Yorkshire sought to attract excursions traffic at low fares. This would hit Pyne's Harrogate-Nidderdale facilities.
RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES: EARLY ATTENTION FOR MOTOR TRADE COMMERCIAL vehicles and cars,
tyres and road-making materials are among the subjects to be considered first by the Restrictive Practices Court The Registrar of Restrictive Trading Agreements has been directed by the Board of Trade to give priority to 22 products in references to the court.
Agreements covering the fixing of discounts to distributors of commercial vehicles and cars, accepted subject to certain conditions, for an approved list, will be investigated by the court. They will consider also the preferential terms for approved tyre traders and the standard form of contract and consultative arrangements for tyres supplied on mileage.
COMPANY BACK WORKS SERVICES CASE
BECAUSE they wished to ensure that their employees arrived at their works in good time, Derwent Plastics, Ltd., last week backed an application by a subsidiary company, J. Broadbent Motors, Ltd., Stamford Bridge, near York, to operate new express services between Stamford Bridge-Market Weighton and Stamford Bridge-Pocklington.
Mr, Drew, secretary of Broadbent and commercial manager of Derwent Plastics, said that employees had been brought to work by coaches until this practice had been stopped.. A prosecution was now pending. Employees lived in a scattered area and were arriving 30 minutes late for work when they travelled by train.
The Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners granted the application, which was partly objected to by British Railways.
Two Threats to N.C.R.T.C.H.
NAEMBERS of the National Conference iVi of Road Transport Clearing Houses were faced by two threats —renationalization and normal user—Mr. J. W. Ellis, national chairman, said at Nottingham last Saturday.
As the entire membership consisted ot clearing houses and long distance hauliers, their very existence was threatened by the Socialists. Moreover, the insistence of certain Licensing Authorities on the closer definition of normal user on the renewal of licences was particularly dangerous to the small man.
It was far easier to operate a large fleet within the definition of normal user than for the man with one or two vehicles. The Conference would strongly resist any effort to reduce the user on which the A-licensee depended.
Mr. Ellis believed that the trader had no wish for further nationalization. Rates were now at least 20 per cent. lOwer than during the days of nationalization.
He was speaking at the annual dinner of the East Midland Area of the Conference.
LIBERAL VIEW OF NORMAL USER
I—I A REPORT and resolution on normal
user were received from the Road Haulage Association's national licensing committee by the national executive committee on Wednesday. The licensing committee held a 31--hour meeting lastweek at which, it is understood, it was resolved to seek a fairly liberal interpretation of normal user.
One of the matters on the executive's agenda was a suggestion that the Ministers of Labour and Transport should be approached with a request for stricter enforcement of the law on drivers' hours and records.
AVOIDING HONITON BLOCK
TO avoid a repetition of the long traffic delays which have occurred during the summer on the A30 road at Honiton, Devon, Mr. Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport, has been consulting the police and motoring organizations. He hopes to arrange for an alternative route to the west, by-passing Honiton, to he signposted.
START ON MAIDSTONE BY-PASS
WORK will start next month on the Maidstone by-pass, one of the most urgently needed improvements tothe London-Folkestone trunk yoad. .It will be constructed to motorway standards, with twin 24-ft. carriageways, and will incorporate two fly-over junctions and 13 major bridges.
CALL FOR TAX CUTS
REDUCTIONS in fuel tax, purchase tax and vehicle licence duties have been urged on Mr. Heathcoat Amory, Chancellor of the Exchequer, by the Standing Joint Committee of the Royal Automobile Club, Automobile Association and Scottish Automobile Club. Change to Oiler " Trtck for Extra Tonnage"
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A SHEFFIELD haulier's proposal to use an oiler on special A licence, instead of his present petrol-engined vehicle, was described by British Railways, last week, as "a trick to gain extra tonnage." Mr. T. B. Atkinson, for the railways, urged the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, Maj. F. S. Eastwood, to refuse permission for the change.
He claimed that the applicant, Mr. A. Marriott, had not the courage to apply for additional vehicles, so he bought a worn-out special-A vehicle and immediately applied for the substitution.
Mr. Marriott said in evidence that the oiler would not have greater carrying capacity. The only real difference would be a lower centre of gravity. He had six A-licence vehicles, all of which were fully employed, some of them transporting atomic equipment.
Mr.. J. Neilson, for the applicant, said it was in the public interest that the application should be granted. Maj. Eastwood reserved his decision.
TOO MANY BUSES, SAY APPLICANTS
TOO many buses were being operated between Glasgow and Kirkintilloch, the Scottish Traffit CommissionerS were told in Glasgow last week. D. Lawson, Ltd., Kirkintilloch, applied to reduee the frequency of their services between the two places from 16 to 14 buses an hour. They also wished to cut the number of through buses to Glasgow from Waterside and Lenzie at off-peak periods.
Objections were lodged by Kirkintilloch local authorities, and .Mr. W. F. Quin, chairman, invited representatives of the company and the authorities to meet the Commissioners in Edinburgh to discuss a solution of the problem.
The Commissioners felt that the proposals were rather drastic, although it seemed that some revision of the services was desirable.
REGULATING INTER-STATE TRANSPORT
A COMMISSION has been appointed PA by the Indian Government to develop and regulate the operation of vehicles between different States. Co-ordination schemes will be drawn up for goods traffic.
The Government have invested Rs.t0m. in the Andhra Pradesh State Transport Corporation, 25 per cent, of the capital involved, the rest being contributed by the State Government. New vehicles are to be purchased.
STUTTGARrS NEW TUNNEL THE Wagenburg Tunnel which links
the centre of Stuttgart with one of its largest industrial suburbs was opened last week. Just over half a mile long, it pierces the hills surrounding the city and relieves traffic on the approach roads. The carriageway is 25 ft. wide and illumination is provided by batteries of fluorescent lights.
Holidays Staggered, So More Seaside Trips
BECAUSE the Bradford area was being affected by staggered holidays, Charles Wood, Ltd., Brighouse, last week asked the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners to modify their licence for a group of excursions and tours starting from Wyke, near Bradford. They wanted to extend their period of operation to Scarborough, Bridlington, Morecambe and Blackpool to read "Easter and/or April 1 to October 31 inclusive."
Mr. W. Smith, director and manager. said Wood's also had a licence to operate from Brighouse, and the company were providing taxis for people to travel from Wyke to Brighouse to join these services, British Railways and W. Drake and Son, Scholes, who have a picking-up point at Wyke, objected. Mr. Drake said he had never left anyone behind, but his traffic was steadily dwindling. He had been forced to economize by operating a 29-seat coach instead of a 38-seater.
Mr. T. B. Atkinson, for the railways, submitted that existing facilities were adequate. Wood's were merely trying to push Mr. Drake out of Wyke by abstracting his passengers..
Maj. F. S. Eastwood, chairman, said the Commissioners were not impressed by the way the, application • had been made, but they would extend the period of operation by a week and grant a renewal of the licence for a year. They would reconsider the matter when the next renewal was due.
RACEHORSE HAI) TO WALK
A LTHOUGH there were 265 horses in training at Middleham, Yorks, neither British Railways nor private hauliers could offer satisfactory transport facilities, the Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority, Mr. J. H. A. Randolph, heard last week. Mr. H. Blackshaw, a trainer, said B.R. road horseboxes could not be hired at short notice, and one of the private operators he employed was continually having mechanical trouble. Mr. Blackshaw was applying for a new
B licence to cover a horsebox. There were no objectors. In evidence, he said that recently he had to walk a £3,000 racehorse through heavy rain to the station because the railways could not provide transport for it. The horse was going to stud, and its shoes had already been taken off for the journey.
Mr. J. Hetherton, who supported the application, said he had three horses in training with Mr. Blackshaw, and last season there. were three occasions when a horse missed a race because it had no transport.
The application was granted.
BLUE ZONE REPORT AVAILABLE
THE Samuels Report on the working of the parking system in the "blue zone" of Paris, which was presented to the Minister of Transport recently, will be made available to the individuals and organizations interested.
Brake Faulty : Claim Lost
ACOLLISION involving a bus and a lorry and trailer was described at Stockton-on-Tees, last week, when Stockton Corporation, operators of the bus, sued the lorry owners for £250 damages.' They claimed £185 for repairs, and demanded compensation for the 28 days the bus was off the road.
Teesside Carriers, Ltd., denied that the accident had been caused because they failed to notice and replace a piece of defective rubber tube in their lorry's air brake system. Mr. J. Hutchinson, a director, said brake tubes were checked visually and by hand when vehicles were inspected every 10 or 14 days.
He had examined the " blown " tube on the lorry concerned, and found that at one point it was only two-ply thickness instead of three-ply. The strength of the tubing was in the inside fabric, not in the rubber.
Judgment with costs was given for the hauliers on the ground that the breakdown in the air-brake system was caused by a latent fault in manufacture.
12 YEARS' ILLEGAL WORK
AFTER carrying eggs and school meals in a car round Bishop Thornton for 12 years, Mr. J. T. Wray suddenly discovered that he should have had a B licence for the work, Mr. J. H. A. Randolph, Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority, was told last week. Mr. Wray said he found that he had been working illegally when he went to buy a van.
He asked Mr. Randolph to allow him to continue his work within 10 miles of Bishop Thornton. The application was granted, but the radius was reduced to six miles.
NEW RUBBER SEAL
ANEW type of rubber seal to prevent water entering the operating cylinders of air-braking systems has been introduced by Leyland Motors, Ltd. It can be fitted to the cylinders for front and rear brakes, and consists of a rubber gaiter with a beaded edge that fits tightly round the piston nush-rod. Examination Syllabus Results Disappointing THE new syllabus for the transport examinations held by the Royal Society of Arts has had disappointing results, says Mr. Raymond Birch, chairman of the National Committee on Road Transport Education, in his report for last year.
"In so far as the committee hoped that the new syllabus might provoke a considerable revival of interest in the scheme, the lack of any great increase in the number of either students or examinees has been disappointing," he says.
"One fact, however, stands out on the credit side. The new subject, 'Communication and Report Writing,' which was incorporated in the syllabus with some misgivings because of its apparently academic flavour, has been a great success. Both in 1956 and 1957 there were more entrants for this examination than for any other single subject, and in 1957. according to the examiners, 'the general standard of achievement was substantially higher than that of the previous year
AIRCONDITIONED COMMER COACHES EXPORTED
TW0 Comer Avenger coaches, fitted m with special air-conditioning equipment, have been shipped to Venezuela for use around the oilfields operated by Cornpania Shell de Venezuela, Ltd. Built by Mulliners, Ltd., the vehicles cost more than £6,000 each, with Stone-Carrier airconditioning plant.
The plant ensures that 12 complete changes of air are made in the coaches every hour, without allowing dust or fumes to enter. The double-skinned bodies are constructed of steel, welded and bolted together. Driver-operated folding doors are incorporated.
The air conditioner is driven by a petrol engine, and the condenser unit and engine are mounted transversally across the rear of the vehicle. Cooling and access louvres are provided at the sides and rear, whilst the evaporator, aircirculator fans and fresh air ducts are contained in the double roof over the driver's position.
"TRADER HANDBOOK" THE latest edition of "Trader Hand.1 book " has been published by the Trader Publishing Co., Ltd., Dorset House, Stamford Street, London, SE. I, at 17s. 6d., plus ls. 6d. by post. There are six sections divided by guide cards with thumb indices for easy reference. Approximately 5,000 proprietary names are identified, and the trade addresses section lists all manufacturers, concessionnaires, distributors and wholesalers handling vehicles and equipment.
HANDBOOK WITH 200 MAPS
NEARLY 200 maps and town plans are contained in the 1958 Guide and Handbook of the Royal Automobile Club. It costs 8s. 6d. to members and 12s. 6d. to non-members. The 64-page atlas of Great Britain and Ireland is printed in three colours, and the directory covers more than 3,000 places.
Haulier Faked Drivers' Records, Court Told
AN allegation that a haulier faked drivers' records after being asked to produce them was made by Mr. Ernest Wurzal, prosecuting for the Yorkshire Licensing Authority, at Mahon, last week.
The haulier, Gordon Davey Sleightholm, Old Malton, admitted 42 cases of permitting employees to drive longer than 11 hours; failing to keep records; altering records with intent to deceive; and allowing employees to drive without enough rest. He was fined a total of £51 and ordered to pay £10 10s. advocate's fee, and £1 17s witnesses' expenses.
Mr. Wurzal said Sleightholm was asked for his records in October, 1957, for a period in September and October. He said they were not available because of illness, but they would be sent in a few days. The Licensing Authority was not satisfied with the records sent and, after further investigations, found that some had been altered and others faked. In one ease a vehicle had been driven 151 hours, and in another 171 hours.
Mr. E. Paterson, defending, said Sleightholm was a small haulier, carrying mainly farm supplies. The journey from Liverpool to Mahon could be done without danger in the statutory period, but what had not been foreseen was that there would be waiting time, when vehicles might have to remain in Liverpool for periods of one to five hours. Mr. Sleightholm was unaware that waiting time counted as driving time, so it was a case of misunderstanding the law, not infringing it deliberately.
NEW CHEAP COACH-AIR SERVICES NEW coach-air services from Euston Square, London, to Calais, Ostend and Rotterdam, via Southend Airport, will be introduced next Tuesday by Air Charter, Ltd. Fares will he low. The road link in Britain will be supplied by the Eastern National Omnibus Co.. Ltd.
There will be daily, services throughout the year to Calais, Ostend and Rotterdam, with three to five trips a day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the holiday peak period. , The journey
from London to Calais will take 2 hours 25 minutes and cost £6 17s.; to Ostend, 2 hours 55 minutes (.0 7s.); and to Rotterdam, 31 hours (£10 14s.).
Air Charter are partners in Trukair, the road-air goods service operated in conjunction with Atlas Air Services, Ltd., and independent express carriers.
EUROPEAN VEHICLE STANDARDS
ANEW international draft agreement on the standardization of vehicle equipment and parts will be open for signature by European states until June 30. The text was established by the working party on the construction of vehicles of the sub-committee on road transport of the Economic Commission for Europe at Geneva earlier this month.
The first regulation drawn up under the agreement concerns headlights and lamps, and the standardizing of braking equipment is being examined.
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Licence Breaches Cost £84 in Fines
FINES totalling £84, with £10 10s. costs, were imposed upon Walton (Low Moor), Ltd., Mill Street, Bradford, at Bradford, last week, when they appeared on 28 charges of infringing licence conditions. The company's licence permitted the carriage of agricultural produce within 40 miles of Bradford, provided that it was also grown within that area, said Mr. E. Wurzal, prosecuting.
Mr. H. G. Suddards, for the defence, however, contended that the licence was intended to mean that any agricultural produce could be carried within 40 miles.
The company admitted 14 charges of carrying goods outside the area, but denied that they had exceeded licence conditions in the other 14 cases by carrying imported wool, instead of wool which had originated within -40 miles of Bradford.
Mr. Wurzal said that it was agreed that wool was an agricultural product, but the licence condition was imposed mainly to ensure that the company did not carry imported wool.
PARCELS DEPOT FOREMAN FINED FOR THEFTS
A FTER pleading guilty to charges of r-k stealing, as a servant, cigarettes, linoleum pile and a coat, Leslie Thomas Hollister, a night foreman at the parcels depot in Albert Road, Bristol, of British Road Services, was fined £75 with £2 2s. costs at Bristol last week.
Desmond Alfred Henry Lacey, also a foreman, admitted stealing articles worth £1 Os. 4d. and was fined £40 with £2 2s. costs. Three other defendants also pleaded guilty to thefts and were fined a total of £56.
Mr. A. M. Urquhart, prosecuting, said that there had been heavy loss at the depot because of pilfering and the matter had become serious as 200,000 parcels were handled every week. Det.Insp. Fred Clash said that all the men had previous good records and all except one were now unemployed.
LEEDS AND MANCHESTER ROUNDS ON JUNE 22
THE Leeds round of the Lorry Driver
of the Year Competition will be held on June 22 on the estate of Montague Burton, Ltd., Hudson Road Mills, Leeds, 9. The closing date for entries is likely to be June 5. Further particulars can be obtained from Inspector R. R. Burrow, Municipal Buildings, Leeds, I.
The North Western area contest will take place on the same day at the Manchester City Football Club car Park, Maine Road, Manchester.
FEBRUARY EXPORT RECORD
A DVANCE details issued by the rm. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that exports of British commercial vehicles in February, valued at nearly £8m., set up a record for that month in any year. Wanted to Run Sevenseaters to Continent DROPOSING to operate two Volks
wagen Microbus seven-seaters, Mr. L. Wigglesworth, Bolton Road, Bradford. applied to the Yorkshire Traffic Commissioners at Leeds last week to run Continental tours. He wished to run 14-day tours to France and Spain, Holland, and Lourdes between April and October. British Railways, West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., Wallace Arnold Tours, Ltd., and Happiways Tours, Ltd., objected.
Cross examined by Mr. W. R. Hargrave, for West Yorkshire, Mr. Wigglesworth said that he had no witnesses and no listsof inquiries to support his case. Mr. Hargrave submitted there was no case to answer. The only evidence of need Was that the applicant had takeil a few friends,'away for a holiday.
The application was refused.
IA Certificate of Fitness is not required for a vehicle with seating fewer than eight. The vehicle concerned in this application is not yet eligible in this country for a Certificate of Fitness as an eight-seater.] R.H.A. PRESS FOR LOWER RATINGS
THE Road Haulage Association's last opportunity to secure a reduction in the ratings of hauliers'. premises may occur next week, during the committee stage of the Local Government Bill.
Mr. R. G. Crowther, national chairman of the R.H.A., who said this at the annual dinner of the Western Area in Bristol last night, pointed out that the railways received relief to the extent of 75 per cent. of their ratable value for rating purposes, whereas road haulage premises enjoyed only 20 per cent. relief.
The Association were trying to have this discrimination removed by an amendment to the Local Government Bill now before Parliament. A suitable clause had been tabled.
Mr. Crowther pointed out that consumers of a third of the total oil used in the country were paying 90 per cent. of the tax on it, amounting to £270m. a year. He called also for the removal of purchase tax on goods-vehicle chassis.
WANTED YEAR TO PAY ENO FINES WHEN Leo Hennigan, Barlby Road, Vic Selby, was fined a total of £100 at Hull last week for using a lorry without an A licence, he asked for a year to pay, as he said he had not yet paid fines amounting to £100 previously imposed upon him at York and £50 at Kirkby Stephen. He was granted three months to pay.
Mr. E. Wurzal, prosecuting, said that Hennigan had held an A licence until September, 1955, when he surrendered it upon selling his haulage business. A lorry was taxed in August last year in the name of his sister but, Mr. Wurzal contended, Hennigan was deemed to be the operator.
Defendant pleaded guilty and said that the vehicle had been impounded for debts, and he had no money.