B.R.S. Praised, But Objection Fails
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A FTER hearing how British Road Serf-I vices were developing their facilities for the carriage of broccoli from Cornwall, last week. Mr. S. W. Nelson, Western Licensing Authority, said he was impressed by their efforts—but he granted a private haulage company an extra A-licence lorry to carry the traffic. Mr.
• Nelson said it was obvious that the traffic , had got to be organized, but he felt B.R.S.
had not yet developed sufficiently to be depended upon.
The hauliers, Mid-Cornwall Transport, Ltd., wanted a licence for " Mainly agricultural products and requisites, china clay and sugar, mostly between Cornwall and London, Bristol, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and, Occasionally, Cardiff." The case had -been partly heard in September.
Mr. R. J. M.orcom, of Mid-Cornwall Transport, said British Railways could not "get broccoli-to the markets on time, and B.R.S. could not always provide the vehicles. A farmer witness, Mr. N. J. Jeffrey, stated that the railways got the Produce to market 24 hours after road
hauliers. This was not good enough as the time factor affected prices. Service had also been unsatisfactoiy when MidCornwall Transport had hired vehicles.
Mr. G. W. Willis, the railways' assistant district traffic superintendent at Plymouth, said an express freight train left Penzance for London at 12.5 p.m., one left for Cardiff at 12.45 p.m., one for Birmingham at 1,35 p.m., and one for Bristol at 6.40 p.m. The produce arrived at market next morning.
.Mr. A. W. J. Baker, B.R.S. district traffic superintendent at Exeter, said they could load Cornish broccoli in the afternoon and guarantee next morning delivery. B.R.S. could provide services for all the 800 growers in Cornwall. Granting the application. Mr. Nelson said if broccoli was to be at the station for 11 a.m, it would have to be cut the day before, yet it should arrive at its destination fresh. Sent by train, it had to be cut on Monday, picked up on Tuesday, and did not arrive until Wednesday morning, which was not satisfactory for the growers.