Lords Dismiss Appeal by London Transport
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AN appeal by the London Transport Executive over the rating of their Aldenham bus depot was dismissed with costs by the House of Lords in a reserved judgment given last week. • The Lands Tribunal had ruled that Aldenham depot was not an "industrial hereditament" which was entitled to be derated, and the Court of Appeal had .upheld their decision.
They said overhauls and major accident repairs carried out were " maintenance " within the, meaning of the Rating and Valuation (Apportionment) Act, 1928, so the premises were not an industrial hereditament. Giving judgment in support of this, Lord Morton said he could find no ground for the Executive's contention that maintenance was restricted to washing, oiling, greasing and minor repairs. In his view it covered the repairing, overhauling and reconditioning of vehicles, so long as the work did not amount to reconstruction.
Lord Reid, Lord Keith and Lord .Somervell agreed. Lord Denning, who thought the appeal should be allowed, said every bus that went into the depot was taken to pieces, and no vehicle coming out could be identified with one that went in. It was surprising to find that a depot which was so obviously a " factory " should not be regarded as an industrial hereditament.
AYR DEALERS EXPAND
ANEW wing has been added to the showrooms of James Tweedie, Ltd., Holnaston Road, Ayr, which will cater for the agricultural side of their business. Their old premises will now be devoted to the vehicle trade.
Dalblair Motors, Ltd., Dalblair Road, Ayr, have taken over neighbouring Wylie's Garage, which will now be used entirely for commercial vehicle work.
£35m. ROAD PROGRAMME
XPENDITURE on roads during the 1—.current financial year will be L35.2m., compared with £23.6m. in 1956-57, Mr. Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport, told the House of Commons last week.