C-licence Increase Hits R.H.E.
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HEARING of the Annis case was 'resumed before the Metropolitan Licensing Authority this week. A number of witnesses was called by Mr. Norman Letts for the Road Haulage Executive, an objector, to rebut previous allegations by witnesses for Annis and' Co., Ltd.. of unsatisfactory service by Pickfords and E. W Rudd, Ltd.
Mr. Thomas James, manager of Rudd's heavy haulage section, now part of the Special Traffics Division of the R.H.E., refuted the evidence of Mr. R. Scott, of the All Counties Engineering Co., Ltd. Mr. Scott had said that when the Rudd concern had been called upon in November, 1946, to carry a D7 bulldozer from Friem Barnet to Fulham, an unsuitable vehicle had been sunplied and the load subsequently fell off the lorry on to the road. Mr. James stated that
• this was not so and that the move had been carried out without difficulty.
,Mr, James outlined the procedure his company followed before carrying a heavy abnormal load in informing the
police and indemnifying 1 o c a 1 authorities. It was not sufficient simply to telephone the police and then to put particulars in the post before starting to haul art indivisible load. Two clear days' notice had to be given to satisfy legal requirements.
The witness mentioned that because of a decline in traffic since the war and an increase in C-licensed vehicles his concern had had to cover the whole of the country in an endeavour to keep its vehicles fully employed. '
Mr. J. W. Aggleton, manager of Pickford's Card:ff branch, and at some time at the concern's Park Royal depot, stated that dismantling of machinery was a normal part of Piekford's work. He had no record of ever having been approached by Mr„,G. Zitter, of George Wimpey and Co., Ltd., for transport, despite Mr. Zitter's evidence to that effect. Pickfords had ample facilities for doing the work.
There will be another hearing on March?. According to Mr. Eric. Cant, who organized the League: delegates to the conference said that the administration at unit and district level was unsatisfactory. It was alleged that some lorries were being sent empty over hundreds of miles, that maintenance was being neglected, that conditions in certain yards were unsatisfactorY, and that some staff rest rooms were Merely disused railway arches.
Mr. Cant alleged that in one East London unit, there Was 'only one fitter to maintain 40 vehicles, the average age of which was 17 years. Divisional headquarters had not responded to representations made six months ago for addiiional Maintenance ,staff.
Complaints were also . made about discipline.