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News of the Week

2nd March 1945, Page 18
2nd March 1945
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Page 18, 2nd March 1945 — News of the Week
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CONVEYANCE OF WORKMEN IN P.& VEHICLES

THE Minister of War Transport has issued the Emergency Powers (Defence) Road Vehicles and Drivers Order, 1945. Its purpose is to provide a defence to prove that the vehicle was -on that occasion being used under the authority of this Order, in the case ef any proceedings being taken in respect of the use of a p.s. vehicle on any occasion in contravention of section 67 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930 (b). This section provides that no person shall cause or permit a motor vehicle to be used on the road as a contract carriage unless he be the holder of a p.s.y.

licence. .

The -Order constitutes the authority of the Minister for the use of a p.s. vehicle in connection with the carrying of workmen engaged in the repair of bomb-damaged buildings, and for the driving of a p.s. vehicle by a person not licensed for the purpose, in Connection with the carrying of such men.

STABILIZING RATES FOR HIGHWAYS WORK

DESCRIBED as a new departure in Lithe organization of road haulage operators, a committee to deal with rates for highways -work has been set up in Yorkshire under the auspices of the West Riding (Leeds) Area of the Road Haulage Association. This was announced at Huddersfield last week. Councillor J. T. Gee, chairman of the R.H.A.'s Huddersfield Sub-area, said that there were certain public authorities in Yorkshire which did not pay the rates they should do for their highways work done by hauliers. He hoped that the new committee would be able to secure a greater degree of stabilization in respect of rates and conditions for highways work in the West Riding. The fact that the rates which West Riding County Council paid for such work had already been put on to a better footing was largely due to the efforts put forward by Mr. Harry Clark, the R,H.A.'s area secretary, when he was secretary of the Federation of Yorkshire Road Trans. port Employers (now Merged in the R,H.A.).

Mr. Clark explained that the formation of the highways rates committee. was suggested by Alderman Charles Holdsworth, area chairman.

CHAIRMANSHIP OF N.R.T.F.

A S we go to press we learn that Mr.

H. T. Duffield has been elected chairman of the National Road Transport Federation, whilst Colonel A. Jerrett becomes vice-chairman. It was . only• recently that Mr. Duffield was elected chairman of the Road Haulage Association, and Colonel Jerrett chairman of the Traders' Road Transport Association.

CARRIERS' LICENCES RETURN TO STATUS QUO

PiA FTER March 31, certain concessions in the use of road vehicles under carriers' licences and defence permits will be withdrawn, except in speCial ' cases. During the war, vehicles were allowed to carry goods for hire or reward irrespective of whether they were used under A, 13, C or A contract licences, subject only to the withdrawal of concessions by R.T.C.s at their discretion.

The Emergency Powers (Defence) Road Vehicles and Drivers (Amendment) Order, 1945, takes away this general authority and restricts the appropriate defence permits, issued during the war, in the same way as the equivalent carriers' licences were restricted in peace-time.

In future, vehicles may carry goods for hire or reward outside the conditions of their licences and permits only if their operators have special authorization from the appropriate R.T.C. or 'consignment notes from the Government R.H.O.

Operators who have special problems in this connection should apply to their R.T.C., enclosing evidence.

. It will be realized that " pool " vehicles may be affected by this ruling.

BIRMINGHAM CO-OPERATIVE GROUP A.G.M.

THE annual general meeting of Birmingham Road Haulage, Ltd., Co-operative Group will be held at the White Horse Hotel, Congreve Street, Birmingham, on March 12, at 7 p.m.

STANDARD TO BUILD LIGHT UTILITY VEHICLE

THE Government has leased to the Standard Motor Co., Ltd., of Coventry, the largest shadow factory in that area, comprising over 1,000,000 sq. ft. This had been operated by the company on behalf of M.A:P. for the construction of aero-engines. Now it will return to the manufacture of civilian vehicles, including . cars and—of particular interest to our readers—a now light utility vehicle with four-wheel drive and independent suspension. This machine is specifically designed to aid. the agricultural industry both at home and overseas, and it is intended for such large markets as India, Australasia, South Africa and the Far East. It is anticipated by the company that this small utility machine will also meet industrial requirements for many forms of transport.

USEFUL GUIDE TO GOODS HAULAGE WTE have received from our contem

porary, " Motor Transport," the latest edition of that journal's " Goods Guide," issued at ls. 6d., covering postage. It contains details of the M.O.W.T. Road Haulage Organization and of a large number of regular road, services, clearing houses, etc. It should prove a most useful addition to the industrial-transport engineer's desk.

CAR HIRE FUNCTIONAL GROUP MEETS

THE first meeting of the Car Hire Functional Group Committee of the Passenger Vehicle Operators' ASsocialion was held on February 20, when Mr. F A. Heaney, sof. Preston, was elected •chairman.

The Group has for its object, the protection of 'the car-hire industry and seeks to obtain recognition by the Government, with a view to securing

the stabilization of the industry • Inquiries as to membership should be sent to the Director, Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association, Roadway House, 146, New Bond Street, London, W.I.

GLASGOW'S BID TO RAISE FARES REFUSED M.O.W.T. has refused to I sanction the scheme for increased fares on Glasgow buses and trams,. as

. proposed by the corporation. This decision was communicated to the corporation transport committee, last .week, by Councillor E. Greenhill, convener of the committee.' In reporting the development, he. stated that the position had been discussed later with Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry, and that an undertaking had been given that a modified scheme would be considered. The special sub-committee, which drafted the original scheme, was instructed to 'formulate proposals for smaller increases for a renewed application to the Ministry.

Councillor Greenhill disclosed that the communication from the Minister was to the effect that " he was not prepared, at present, to consent to any ,increase of fares for the -purpose. of enabling further amounts to be set aside for depreciation."

VAUXHALL MOTORS INVESTIGATES THE TASK SYSTEM ,

OUR contributor, " S.T.R.," in hisarticle, " Applying the Task System to Civilian Operation," published last week, was apparently lob general in referring to the exasperation that most people feel when they get no definite information from vehicle menulactnrers when they apply for information regarding this system.

Mr. A. Palmer Phillips, director of sales of Vauxhall Motors, Ltd., says that this statement exasperates him because, so far as his company is concerned at any rate, it bears no'relatiOn to the facts.

He points out that the Vauxhall concern regards many features of the Task System as being extremely uSeful for, and adaptable to, civilian operation, and it has given all possible assistance and encouragement to Bedford owners who have written to the company for guidance. Some of these owners are carrying out protracted trials of the system' at its request, and have promised to report results at the end of the :trial period. In this way' the company is acquiring a reliable cross-section of opinion on the suitability of the system' (and any adaptations . that • may , be desirable) beforeincorporating a commercial version of it in its post-war Maintenance recommendations.

The Army-type driver's handbook would ilot adequately replace the vehicle instruction book for commercial operation—the Army trains a man to look for defects and not to put them right.

Every buyer of a Bedford civilian vehicle is supplied with a driver's handbook in addition to the vehicle instruc,tion book. At present, the handbook is not based on the Task System, although it probably will be as soon as the 'company, is certain that the system is acceptable to owners.

A.G.M. OF I.T.A. LONDON BRANCH

r-rHE annual general meeting of the 1 Industrial Transport Association (London Branch) will be held on Saturday, March 10, at 2.15 p.m. at the Institution of Automobile Engineers, 12, Hobart Place; S.W.1.

GLOUCESTER GROUP OF INST. OF T. PROPOSED

AT a meeting of members of the Institute of . Transport, held at Gloucester recently, it was decided to proceed with ,the formation of a, Gloucester group. Mr. A. C. Lisle, M.Inst.T., chairman of the Sharpness Docks, was elected. chairman, and Mr. D. Bartlett, of the G.W. Railway, was elected hon. ,secretary. Col. G. D. Moore, chairman of the Western Section, presided.

TRANSPORT INDUSTRY A BIG FIELD FOR EDUCATION

LsAST week, Mr. T. W. RoYle, vicepresident of the L.M.S. Railway, and a. vice-president of the Institute of Transport, addressed members of the East Midland Section of the Institute in Nottingham, on the subject of transport education.

Mr. Ben England, Nottinghams transport manager, -presided, and among those present were Mr. J. H. Stirk (North Midland Transport Commissioner), Cob F. Rayner, Mr. W. Donaldson Wright, • Mr. F Stephenson (City Director of Education), Dr. W. H. Richardson (Derby' Technical College), Mr.N. Harwood (Chesterfield Technical College), and Mr. A. , Radford (Nottingham Univer

sity College)..

Mr. Royle dealt, in detail, with the exAmination held by the Institute, and said that it covered all forms of transport—road, rail, water and air. He thought the industry represented one of the biggest fields for the provision of education6I facilities in the country, for in 1929 there were almost 1,500,000 people •directly engaged in it. The examinations we recognized by • numerous -transport companies as a level of efficiency, and they had continued 'throughout the war, although with fewer candidates.

LUNCH-TIME LECTURES ON • EXPORT PROBLEMS

A SYLLABUS of 24 lectures is being 1'1 given by the Institute of Export at the Merchants' Hall, 24, St. Mary Axe, London, E.C.3, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 1.20 p.m. to 2 p.m., up to May 17. The first two were given this week. They form part of the work of promoting vitally necessary export education, which is the main pre-occupation of the Institute. The course will be .followed by an optional examination, and book prizes will be awarded to the most successful candidates.

Tickets covering the series may be obtained from the secretary, Royal Empire Society Building, Northumberland Avenue, London, W.C.2.

MIDLAND "RED" AND POST-WAR REHABILITATION

DIRECTORS of the Birmingham and Midland Motor Omnibus Co., Ltd., had before them at their recent meeting preliminary estimates for the expenditure of nearly 41,500,000 for the provision of new buses, workshops and garages immediately the war position will allow of the necessary orders being placed.

INAUGURAL MEETING OF INST.

• OF T. TEES-SIDE CENTRE rr.FIE inaugural meeting of the Teesside and District Centre of the Institute of Transport was held at Middlesbrough, a few days ago. It was reported that the Council of the Institute had authorized the formation of the centre as a sub-section of the Northern Section and the following officers and members of committee for the current year were elected : —Chairman, Mr. A. Howell; vice-chairman, Mr. F. Lythgoe; hon. secretary, Mr. C. Nichol; committee, Messrs. B. Harrison, A. C. W. Impey, J. Peacock, P. F. Pike, J. M. Roberts, H. N. Tuff, W. W. Walton (one vacancy Unfilled).

CYCLISTS REAR LIGHTS: BILL READ A THIRD TIME

ALTHOUGH there was spirited opposition from some quarters to the Road Transport Lighting (Cycles) Bill, it was read a third time and passed without itnendment in the House of Commons, last week. It provides for the carrying of a reflector, a white patch and a rear. light.

The objectors are chiefly concerned ..vith the clause relating to the carrying of a rear light, on the basis, apparently, that no really reliable type has yet been evolved.

"PLAY STREETS" GIVE SAFETY TO SALFORD'S CHILDREN WITII the closing to traffic, last week, of a further 18 streets, Salford (Lancashire) now has 226 "play streets " for children. The idea, which has been copied by a number of other industrial towns, was instituted 16 years ago by Major C. V. Godfrey, chief constable of Salford, and has largely been responsible for that city's low child-accident record.

CALL TO GIVE MOTORWAYS HIGH PRIORITY

AFTER an address to the Cheltenham -land Gloucester Branch of the Industrial Transport Association, given by Mr. Boyd Bowman on February 20, it was unanimously agreed that the ing resolution should be forwarded to the M.P.s for Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud. (These are Mr. D. L. Lipson, Sir Leslie Boyce and Mr. W. D, Perkins, re

spectively) That this branch of the Industrial Transport Association views the provision of a system of motorways for Britain as a national need of very high priority and urges Parliament to proceed with this at the earliest possible moment."

TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATORS FORM WEST RIDING CENTRE

COUNDERS of the new Institute of Traffic Administration ma on February 17, at Leeds, and decided to create

• a West Riding Centre as a constituent part of the new organization. The honorary convener for the initial stages is Mr. B. C. Walls, of Canal Transport, Ltd., 2, Cheapside, Bradford,

2,150 LONDON CONDUCTORS . TRAINED TO BE DRIVERS SINCE the beginning of the war, London Transport has trained '2,150 male conductors to be bus driVers; many of these men have been replaced by women. There are now more than 10,000 women conductors in the Board's service, and 1,0010 more are still wanted,


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