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The Months Ahead F. i ARNEST discussion has taken place

30th December 1949
Page 35
Page 35, 30th December 1949 — The Months Ahead F. i ARNEST discussion has taken place
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

on the question whether the second half of the century begins on January 1, 1950, or January 1, 1951. Popular opinion favours the earlier date, and certainly, for the road transport industry, New Year's Day will be appropriate as marking the turn of the half-century.

Few of the problems exercising the minds of the industry have been settled in 1949, but many of them must come to a head next year. The seeds sown in August, 1947, have taken over two years to ripen, and the harvest cannot be long delayed.

When the year began there was one Executive of the B.T.C. in our particular fields, the Road Transport Executive, dealing with passenger and haulage matters. Half-way through the year the R.T.E. divided into two parts, like the arnceba. The parent body disappeared. and the Road Haulage Executive and the Road Passenger Executive took its place.

Heavy Barrage The subsequent history of the R.P.E. is meagre, but a good deal is threatened. Two area schemes, in the north and the east, have been mooted in spite of a heavy barrage from almost every local interest cOncerned. Only the northern scheme has made much progress, but

its implementation is still a long way off. . .

Events have been more varied on the road haulage side, but it is significant that there are few complete achievements to report. • Compulsory acquisitions, which began 14 months ago, have continued steadily, and it is probable that the R.H.E. now has the majority of the undertakings it intends to acquire. No more notices may now be served, but several hundred concerns have been given the kiss of death, and wait like the paralysed fly whose eventual fate is to become part of the spider.

That part of the Transport Act dealing with compensation has given rise to endless discussion. So far no compulsorily acquired undertaking has received compensation in full, although, thanks to protests by "The Commercial Motor" and from other quarters, several payments have been made based on provisional ascertain ments.

Accountants Quarrelling

The main reason for the delay in finally settling the issue is that valuers, accountants and lawyers on both sides are quarrelling over the interpretation of the Act.

Neither side will give way. Several points of great importance will have to go to arbitration.

One point on which decision is anxiously awaited is the amount of compensation to be paid for loss of office. Special regulations are being prepared to cover these payments. Many hauliers have remained as caretakers of their old businesses, largely to avoid possible disqualification under the coming regulations.

Once compensation has been agreed;' one may expect many well-known names to disappear completely from the road haulage industry. The problem of the displaced person has been acute throughout 1949. A few exhauliers have emigrated Many more have turned to some other interest, for preference one not likely to be nationalized.

The event on the nationalized side that made the greatest impact on the public was the issue of the British Transport Commission:s,report and accounts for 1948. If ever the phrase "a mine of information" was richly deserved, it was so in this case. For the person wanting to know about the activities of the B.T.C., the report provides an almost inexhaustible quarry.

Critics have been quick to notice that it does not always help in considering the future. The modest announcement of a surprisingly modest toss has been followed by much gloomier estimates of the figures for 1949 and 1950. Railway rates are to be increased as an obviously desperate expedient. Little of the wrath and consternation to come can be gleaned from the report.

One event symbolic of the altered circumstances in the road haulage industry was the production by the Road Haulage Association of .a new badge bearing the words, "Free Enterprise Road Transport." The break with the acquired hauliers had to come sooner or later. Although for a time they may remain R.H.A. members and their interests are safeguarded, the affairs of the Association have inevitably fallen into the hands of individuals who at least expect to remain under free enterprise.

Some of the developments promised or hinted by the R.H.A. seem not to have gone far. This applies notably to the possibility of inter-working after the appointed day. The reason is largely that nothing is known precisely of the extent to which permits will be granted.

July was an important month. During its course, applications had to be made for original permits, the most valuable variety of all. Efforts to ensure that eligible operators did not forgo their rights revealed plainly the extent to which the rank and file of hauliers lack knowledge of the details of the Transport Act.

Applications Below Expectations

Perhaps the best way of assuring that they had all the information required would have been to use the machinery of the Licensing Authorities. For some reason or other this was not done, although other means for publicity were used. As a result, 17,500 applications were lodged, a figure probably a good deal below the possible total.

The issue of original permits will take place during the first few months of 1950. There have been promises that they will be granted fairly freely for the initial period of 12 months. The appointed day may also produce a crop of applications for ordinary and job permits.

One feature of the year that should not go unmentioned—it seems in some respects a commentary upon all the rest—is the rapid growth in the number of C-licensed vehicles. Throughout 1949 there has been a regular increase at the rate of about 2,000 each week.

It is true that rather more than half this figure is made up of vehicles not exceeding an unladen weight of

11 tons. But even if all these smaller vehicles be excluded, the fact remains that the C-licensed fleet has been growing at a more rapid rate than the fleet of the R.H.E

The chairman of the R.H.E. revealed some little time ago that he had in his office a chart plotting the rise of C-licensed vehicles. Questions in Parliament have also drawn attention to the position.

The great question mark for the coming year is the general election. The complexion of the next Government will vitally affect the solution of the many important matters that have developed during 1949. This has been a year of preparation; 1950 may well be the year of fulfilment.


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