Will Taxation Changes Benefit the Railways ?
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THE railways are interesting themselves in the taxation of goods vehicles. Readers of this journal are receiving calls relative to this subject from representatives of certain railway companies. The object is to ascertain the views of operators on the question of altering the method of taxing goods vehicles from that based on unladen weight to a system devised on gross load.
From the remarks made by the visitors it appears that the railways consider that they will benefit by such a change. This is an interesting aspect of the situation, because, as was indicated by well-known authorities in articles contained in our Show Report Number of November 5, many makers and operators are in favour of the new scheme, which is considered as likely to be a good method of overcoming the excessive burdening of light chassis.
The inquiries constitute additional proof of the activities of the railways in their efforts to gain a complete knowledge of the operation of transport by road, and of the opinions of vehicle owners. There is little doubt that they will do everything possible to turn the matter to their own advantage. Consequently, any change that may be contemplated should be carefully watched to see that it is really in the interests of the road-transport industry as a whole.
Many road operators believe that taxation on gross load will do much to curtail the cutting of rates, and, therefore, place the business on a sounder basis. Rate-cutting has, obviously, exercised a deleterious influence upon railway receipts, as well as detracting from the profits of goods operators, and from this point of view the railways are justified in their endeavour to promote the change.