What the Associations Are Doing
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A.R.O. AND BUSINESS IN BACON TRANSPORT.
Some time ago the I3acon Development Board approached .A.R.O. for advice on road haulage in connection with certain experiments which the Board proposed to carry out in various parts of the country. At that time, A.R.O. headquarters communicated with all area secretaries, also gave the names of those secretaries to the Board.
The Bacon Development Board has now asked the A.R.O. Western Area secretary to supply names of operators who could transport pigs from Odstock to Salisbury, and suitable names have been given.
The Time Faltor With Fragile Loads, At the monthly meeting of the London Wholesale Distributing Confectioners Association, the secretary, Mr. G, F. Davies, was instructed to protest against the short time of 20 minutes allowed for unloading, under the proposed new regulations, and to point out the fragile and small-unit character of the goods. The loading of a vehicle with a normal load of glass bottles, it was pointed out, could not be completed in the maximum time allowed.
Guarding Tipper-users' Interests.
There are about 50 members in the tipping-vehicle section of the Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners Association, which recently absorbed the Liverpool Short Cart and Motor Owners Association. At the inaugural meeting of the section consideration was given to D38 matters of future policy with regard to newcomers' applications for tippingwagon licences, also to day-hire rates and loading plates. It was agreed that members of the section should limit the hiring of vehicles to other members.
Mr. Fred Wilkinson is the chairman of the section and has been co-opted a member of the management committee of the Cart and Motor Owners Association.
• Annual Conference of I.T.A. The Industrial Transport Association has decided to hold its annual conference in Norwich in June next.
B.R.F.'s 57 Organizations.
Bringing the total membership of the B.R.F. up to 57 organizations, the Scottish Federation of Grocers' and Provision Merchants' Association has been elected to associate membership.
Another A.R.O. Sub-area.
At a meeting at Minehead recently, of the Western Area of A.R.O., it was decided to form a sub-area for members in Iginehead and surrounding districts. The following officers were elected to act for the new sub-area:—Chairman, Mr. W. F. Hale; hon. secretary, Mr. H. E. Lee; committee, Messrs. O. C. Hooper, F. H. Harrison, A. H. Kerslake, W. G. Burnell, J. P. Pollard.
Moves to Boost Electrics.
The campaign foreshadowed in this journal, some weeks ago, for developing interest and sales in connection with electric vehicles in north-west England and North Wales areas of the Electrical Development Association, has now been launched. The first step was an address to electric-current supply authorities, whilst later moves will reach traders and potential, as well as actual, users. at demonstration displays and lectures.
Defence Needs Transport's Best.
" The Crisis and the Roads" is the title given to a new I3.R.F. pamphlet, and it is self-explanatory. The following is a pungent extract from the publication:—" Improvisation and patchwork remedies have led to dissipation of energy when every minute counted.
The delay over the completion of Western Avenue and the Chertsey arterial road are typical examples. For a long time we have been warned, but to-day the lesson is so clear that even the most ostrich-like mentality cannot avoid grasping it."
The concluding statement is to the effect that everyone should demand in
politics, in public and in private, that our roads be immediately and drastically improved as a major part of national defence, and that road transport be nationally organized without delay.
The subject of the pamphlet will form a basis for propaganda at many coming B.R.F. meetings. "CLOSE SUPERFLUOUS RAILWAYS" SUGGESTION.
"Why not close all railway lines the traffic on which could be carried equally well by road?" This question was raised by Sir Felix J. C. Pole, formerly general manager of the Great Western Railway Co. and now chair. man of Associated Electrical Industries, Ltd., at the Hull Traffic Association's annual dinner, last week. Sir Felix, who was proposing the toast of "The Transport Services," said the condition of the railways, or rather railway stockholders, in this country was deplorable. There were alternatives in transport—competition and co-operation—but whether they co-operated or not he would say to the railways and to the railwaymen that the value of any undertaking was what it earned for its owners.
Mr. Winson at Edinburgh.
The first meeting of the winter session of the Edinburgh branch of the I.T.A. was held recently. An address was given on " The Activities of the S.P.D.. Ltd." by Mr. W. A. Winson, chairman of S.P.D.. Ltd., and immediate past-president of the C.M.U.A. Mr. G. W. Hoey, chairman of the branch, presided. FRESH PROTEST ON LICENCE REGULATIONS.
In view, of the -fact that by the increased licence fees the Ministry of Transport is obtaining revenue from the fees amounting to double the annual amount that it originally received, and as no full explanation has been given of this, the Parliamentary Road Group is to be urged to ask the House of Commons not to give approval to the new regulations which, being provisional are to lie on the table of the House for confirmation.
Some C-licence holders have been concerned at the fact that licences have been issued for a lesser period than five years, including a broken fraction of a year, which has been charged as if a whole year had been granted. Protest has been made to the Ministry of Transport, but the Minister expresses the view that he can take no action under the regulations.
Wages Act and Shop Employees.
At a meeting of the executive of the Scottish Federation of Grocers Associations, last week, a discussion took place in private with respect to the provisions of the Road Haulage Wages Act. The meeting was of the opinion that the application of provisions, dealing in piecemeal fashion with the regulation of wages and hours and conditions of certain sections of employees in shops, was not necessary, in view of the fact that the whole matter of such regulations in the distributive trades was, at the present time, the subject of negotiations on a national basis. The matter was remitted to the parliamentary committee of the Federation, to take the necessary action.
Where the Law Needs Amendment.
That objectors to licence applications should be compelled to state their objections at public inquiries before the applicant's case is opened, is one of the points which the North-Eastern Divisional Committee of the C.M.U.A. has suggested to the National Council, with a view to inclusion in the B.R.F.'s memorandum of proposed amendments to the road-traffic legislation.
Among other points suggested by the committee are Permission should be given to Licensing Authorities to enable them to approve, without public inquiry, the substitution of one vehicle for two, provided that the aggregate unladen weight of the two vehicles be equal to or more than that of the one proposed to be acquired.
Limitation of contract-A licences to applicants producing a legal contract, and to the period stated in the contract.
Relaxation of the responsibility of the employer for the acts of his drivers.
Purely waiting time (say, at docks) should not he counted as driving time for record purposes.
A uniform speed limit of 30 m.p.h. for all commercial vehicles.
After considering the Minister of Transport's request to the Transport Advisory Council for recommendations as to steps to secure more general observance of the statutes and regulations concerning the operation of goods vehicles, the committee suggests there should be more supervision by Licensing Authorities and police as a safeguard against abuses of C licences and contract-A licences.
C.M.U.A. Manchester Supper.
The annual hot-pot supper of the C.M.U.A. Manchester Area is to be held at the Manchester Limited Restaurant and the date is Monday next, October 31.
Altered Date for a Dinner.
An amendment has been made in the date of the annual dinner of the Birmingham Sub-areaof A.R.O. Instead of March 11, as previously announced, the function will be on March 18.
A.R.O. Hull Office Still Available.
• The fact that Mr. C. M. Douthwaile has left the service of the A.R.O. should not give rise to any misunderstanding that the Association's Subarea office at 45, Queen Street, Hull, is no longer available for the benefit of members.
Improvements at Cattle Markets.
The West Midland Area of A.R.O.. in conjunction with the National Farmers' Union, is taking up the question of improvements at a number of cattle markets, and has recently had the benefit of advice from an inspector of the Board of Agriculture.
A.R.O. Diary for 1939.
It is understood that the A.R.O. diary is proving extremely popular, and that large orders are being received. In order to avoid possible disappointment, members who have not already stated their requirements to their area secretaries are advised to do so at the earliest opportunity.
B.R.F. and Road Safety.
The British Road Federation has just published an interesting booklet entitled " Times Change." This ,deals with the road problem from the point of view of safety. It is extremely well and attractively illustrated. Copies can be obtained from the office of the Federation, 120, Pall Mall, London, S.W. 1 .
STEAM TRACTORS AND WEIGHT LIMIT.
Liverpool Cart and Motor Owners Association is making a further effort to include steam tractors and trailers within the scope of the regulation which permits a gross maximum laden weight of 24 tons for steam wagons and trailers. The Association points out that the practice of converting steam vehicles into tractors and using them in conjunction with specially built heavy trailers is growing, in Liverpool, and a new type of trailer, having three axles, is also more popular. It is now quite common to put this type of trailer to the fulle,st use, hence the desire to obtain an increase in the maximum laden weight.
Van-boys' Hours. Question.
Members of the B.R.F. have been concerned with the fact that by the Young Persons (Employment) Act, 1933, the hours of continuous work of van-boys are limited to five, whereas those of drivers are five and a half. This leads to considerable inconvenience in arranging delivery rounds in that provision has to be made for dropping the van-boy before the round is completed. Lord Winterton, who piloted the Bill through the House, is being asked to receive a deputation with a view to some amendments in the Act being made.
Tributes to Major Thomas_
At a meeting of the clearing house committee of A.R.O., held on Tuesday. tribute was paid by Captain Jones (Universal Road Transport Clearing Houses, Ltd.), Mr. A. H. Palmer and others, to the great service rendered not -only to the clearing house section, but to the association and industry as a e hole, by the late -Major E. C. Thomas. The secretary was instructed to send a message of sympathy to Mrs. Thomas, on behalf of the committee.
Subsequently, Captain Jones was appointed chairman of the committee, and Captain Barrington, of Transport Services, Ltd., was elected vicechairman. Captain Barrington was also elected to the National Council of the association, in place of Major Thomas.
Parking Regulations—Grocers Protest.
At the October meeting of the Greater London Council of Grocers Associations, Mr. W. Lawson caned attention to the new parking and unloading regulations that were proposed for the North-London Area. The proposed 20 minutes was not sufficient, and if that sort of thing continued, it would eventually mean that the grocer would have to work in shifts, and deliveries would have to start early in the morning and proceed until late at night.
Traders were of the opinion that a good deal of traffic disorganization, in many of the main streets to-day, was caused by the large number of barrows stationary for long periods. Another cause, in their view, was the number of half-empty buses on the streets.