Road Haulage Expands Behind Iron Curtain
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THERE has been an important
increase in the use of road transport in East European countries, although the carriage of goods by this means was still very small when compared with rail. There has also been a substantial expansion of goods transport by road in Western Europe.
This information is contained in the "Annual Bulletin of Transport Statistics for Europe, 1955," published by the United Nations, Geneva, at 95.
In most European countries there was a slight increase in passenger traffic by coach, bus and rail. The increase in the number of road passenger vehicles was much greater. Freight tonnage carried by Europe's railways and inland waterways increased by 9 per cent. in 1955 over the previous year's figure.
CALOR GAS AS FUEL
APRACTICAL alternative to petrol as a fuel is Calor gas, as used extensively in caravans and country houses. The conversion unit, which is simple in character, can he supplied and fitted by Carburetters, Ltd., Grange Wood, Willesden Green, London, N.W.I0.
The cylinder of Calor gas is carried in any convenient position on the vehicle. As the fuel is carried in liquid form, there are no excessively high pressures to deal With.
As a guide to the mileage which cau be expected from a cylinder of gas, it is understood that a 10 h.p. car can run for about 150 miles on one charge. Performance figures are satisfactory, there being little difference in acceleration and hill-climbing.
EXTRA VEHICLE FOR SWEEPS A N extra vehicle was added to the
B licence of Messrs. Foster and Purves, Almondbury, by the Yorkshire Deputy Licensing Authority last Friday. The firm were described as chimney sweeps and their own business was stated to. occupy one vehicle for 2idays a week. .Haulage work for local decorators, builders and joiners, mostly oneman contracting businesses, was increasing and demands could not be met with one vehicle.
The British Transport Commission withdrew their objection when the applicants sought to restrict their work within 10 miles.
MATTER OF TERMS
IN a report on a paper, "The ApplicaI don of Electric Power for Road Passenger and Goods Transport" (The Commercial Motor, December 14), the statement that "for the year ended March, 1955, Ministry of Transport public road passenger statistics indicated that municipally owned passenger transport running costs averaged 4.44d. per mile for trolleybuses compared with 4.00d. per mile for motorbuses," should have referred only to the cost of all repairs and maintenance (including overhead line equipment).