B.R.S. Depot Manager Fights B.T.C. for Compensation
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WHEN the Transport Arbitration Tribunal last week resumed hearng the claim of Aber Carriers, Ltd., ;atop Road, Welshpool, now in iquidation following nationalization in [949, Mr. G. J. Jones, former managing Erector of the company, explained how le pioneered road haulage in the kberystwyth area after the 1914-18 War.
The company, as reported last week, Aaimed that £500 for the financial year 1945-46 and E400 for 1947-48 should be added back" to arrive at a true ippraisement of adjusted profit and loss -or the three years before acquisition. rhey also argued that a multiplier of lye instead of 3+ should be used in omputing compensation, and disputed he method of calculating depreciation. Mr. Jones, who is now depot superinendent of the British Road Services roup in Welshpool, said he bought two 3rries from a military dump at Slough
1920 and pioneered road haulage in le Aberystwyth area. The General trike in 1926 gave the first impetus to te development of the business, and vo years later he started a service to iverpool. Later he began a linked serce to Birmingham.
Covered 10 Counties
In 1933 he moved to Welshpool and tablished storage and warehousing cilities for collecting bulk supplies sm manufacturers and delivering tail orders to shops. "Customers ced us to expand our territory and entually we covered about 10 unties," said Mr. Jones.
Mr. Jones was cross-examined about s-contracting work. Answering Mr. M. Shaw, for the British Transport mmission, he said he employed sub'tractors to do trunking runs, instead increasing his fleet, to avoid having iicles idle in slack periods. He made profit on sub-contracting.
4r. Frank Jackson. managing direcof David Jones and Co., wholesale eral merchants a n d provision lers, of Liverpool, said he was chair] of Aber Carriers until the concern acquired. There was a close assoion between the two. His company ,t the freeholders of Vulcan Works, slop Road, Welshpool, the operatcentre of. Aber Carriers, now used 3.R.S.
'hen the haulage rates went up in 1, the company did not increase charges because they received :e of acquisition.
the conclusion of evidence for the laity, Mr. Shaw said he could call vidence to help the Tribunal. Dealvith the claim that £900 in respect leferred repairs to vehicles and ings should be added to the profits le years 1945-46 and 1947-48, Mr. said it was considered " unjustiIf the Commission could have any ground for it, they could have
compromised, because the amount was small.
The most material part of the claim, he said, was that there should be some adjustment in the net profits for the three basic years before acquisition, because fewer vehicles were being used as revenue-earning assets than the number taken over. An increased fleet would have involved the capital cost of the extra vehicles and higher expenses.
The Commission submitted that a multiplier of 3+ was just. Although receipts were rising, profits were falling because costs were increasing and rates were not adjusted.
The hearing continued on Wednesday, JOINT APPLICATION REFUSED— BUT LICENCES GRANTED
QEVENTEEN coach operators in the
Black Country who, earlier this year, joined forces in applying for licences to carry theatre parties, have failed in their application.
The West Midland Licensing Authority, Mr. W. P. James, has, however, granted them individual licences for excursions and tours to Blackpool and Morecambe Illuminations and Midland theatres.
Mr. James said that all the applicants sought the use of 196 picking-up points, the starting point in each case being Oakengates. The operators, he added. had established a fairly definite area of operation, and the licences reflected those areas. Permission to charge a higher fare was refused.
NARROW BUSES FOR LAKELAND?
HE case for restricting certain Lake" land park routes to buses 6 ft. 6 in. wide is presented in the annual report of the Lake District Planning Board. It is felt ;hat action should be taken to ensure that the use of the interior roads by public service vehicles should be limited as far as possible. There are stated to be some roads which might continue to carry local bus services, but should be forbidden to coaches. A conference with the Ministry of Transport and the National Parks Commission, to explore the possibility of introducing narrower buses for use in national parks, is suggested,
BUSES TO REPLACE TRAINS
Pmeet the demand created by the closure of part of the Isle of Wight railway, the Southern Vectis Omnibus Co., Ltd., have ordered 40 Bristol Lodekka buses at a cost of £170,000. The 8-11.-wide bodywork is being built by Eastern Coach Works, Ltd.
In place of the four rear seats in the lower deck there will be two pairs of racks for luggage. Heaters will be installed on both decks.