R.H.A. Puts New Points to Minister .
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THE Road Haulage Association's delegation had two more meetings at the Ministry of Transport last week, one with Mr. A. T. Lennox-Boyd, the Minister, and the other with officials. The Association's executive committee also met to consider progress.
It is believed that at its most recent meetings, the delegation has put to the Minister points which had not previously been raised, including a request for the representation of the road transport industry on the board to be set up to dispose of the assets of the Road Haulage Executive.
The leaders of the R.H.A. have been sympathetically received at the Ministry, hut when " The Commercial Motor" closed for press, they did not know what gains had been made.
When they went to the Ministry last week, the new Transport Bill was, itis believed, already in print, but the Minister said that alterations could, if justified, be made. He also gave a promise of consultation at every stage of the Bill.
It is apparent that the delegation has aimed at making the Bill attractive to hauliers who wish to return to the business. Finance is, however, a serious problem and it seems that .thd Government will have to change its attitude towards the advancing of money by banks for speculative purposes.
The Minister has been consulting also road passenger transport interests. A joint deputation from the Public Transport Association and the Passenger Vehicle Operators' Association was received last week. A delegation from the Municipal Passenger Transport Association attended separately.
B.R.S. REVENUE AND TRAFFIC DROP
THE revenue of British Road Services in the four weeks to June 15 amounted to £5,756,000, compared with £5,818,000 in the corresponding period of last year. Revenue for the first 24 weeks of the year is, however, higher, totalling £35,730,000 this year and £34,333,000 last year.
Statistics for the four weeks to May 18 show that the tonnage of traffic handled by B.R.S. was 3,365,000, compared with 3,592,000 in the similar period of 1951. Vehicle-mileage also fell from 58,355,000 to 57,035,000. Loaded mileage in the four weeks to May 18 last dropped to 46,048,000. compared with 48,178,000 in the corresponding four-week period of 1951.
The British Transport Commission's provincial and Scottish road passenger transport interests yielded £3,916,000 in the four weeks to June 15, as against £3,434,000 in the comparable period of last year. Corresponding figures for London Transport were 15,435,000 and £4,735,000.
In the first 24 weeks of the year, the Scottish receipts were £19,559,000 (417,787,000 a year ago) and London Transport's revenue totalled £29,804,000 (£26,788,000).