Long Steel Again
Page 32
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THE Northern Licensing Authority, Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, reserved his decision on applications by Econofreight Transport Ltd. and H. L. Walker Ltd., each to add three long semi-trailers, to operate under the common normal user of their A-licensed fleets, at a resumed public inquiry at Darlington last week.
• Dorman Long (Steel) Ltd. submitted to the L.A. that failure to make the grant would have very serious consequences on the transport operations at their Cleveland work. Six vehicles on a short-term licence had been fully employed.
Mr. P. Jeffcock, general manager for Econofreight Transport, said that work with the three vehicles would be carried out almost entirely for Dorman Long, carrying long-length steel mainly from their Cleveland plant. At this juncture, Mr. Hanlon said that the only reason Mr. Jeffcock, as a haulier, and the L.A. had been at variance was over the question of long-length traffic. Mr. Jeffcock said that since the grant of a short-term licence the vehicles had proved they were needed. It had been decided, he went on, that a normal user of "Goods for Dorman Long Ltd." would not be the correct way of dealing with the imperative situation. It would be an embarrassment, he added, to operate three vehicles within a total of 85 on a separate normal user. He agreed with the Authority that the normal use of the three vehicles would be to carry steel in Indivisible loads and of extended length.
Mr. A. Darley, giving similar evidence for H. L. Walker Ltd., said that the three vehicles, if they were granted, would carry steel from the Dorman Long foundry in lengths exceeding 42 ft. 7+ in.
Mr. A. F. J. Wrottesley, for the objectors, British Railways, said that the applicants had tried to place the Railways in an invidious position with a most valued customer, Dorman Long.