Haulage Industry's Immediate Reactions
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"THE statement by the Road Haulage 1 Association on Monday, after publication of the Prices Board report, stressed that the RHA found nothing in the report to show that road hauliers were not justified in seeking increased rates at the present time. The statement went on: "The Road Haulage Association sees no reason to alter its advice to members that, on average, a five per cent increase in rates is justified, particularly as the Board has not found the Association's assessment of cost increases incorrect. Careful consideration will be given to proposals in the report that the practice of general rate recommendations should be abandoned. The Association will also consider the Board's suggestions for continuing to improve productivity in the industry."
Later a statement, commenting on the Board's recommendation that each haulier should judge how much of the admitted increases in costs he could absorb, was issued by the National Conference of Road Transport Clearing Houses. The statement recommended members that an average increase of five per cent was in general justified, The Conference welcomed the observations of the Board on terminal and handling costs and the need to extend the times during which collection and delivery could be effected.
A BRS spokesman said on Monday that, generally speaking, they would increase their rates by five per cent, subject to the fact that increases in their general freight rates were on individual negotiations with individual customers. But next day the THC indicated that there would be no " across-the-board " BRS increases in general haulage rates.