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152 
NORTHERN STEEL BATTLE PUT OFF TILL NEXT WEEK
Page 56
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A STAFF of three South Durham Steel and Iron
Co. Ltd. employees "comb" the North East for vehicles to deliver steel plate. This was stated before the Northern Licensing Authority at Newcastle on Friday when the company supported an application by Cawthorn and Sinclair Ltd., for an extra 10 articulated vehicles on A licence.
British Railways opposed the application on the ground that enlargement of the road fleet would abstract earnings from the railways, and when Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, the Licensing Authority, granted a short-term licence as an interim measure it was intimated that BR opposition would be renewed when the adjourned application is heard.
Mr. Hanlon granted short-term licences for four vehicles for three months each for three firms—Cawthorn and Sinclair, William Brunskill, of Bishop Auckland, and R. P. Durham, of Eaglesclifte. The adjourned substantive appli
cation will be heard on March 9, and if necessary continued on March 11.
Mr. Ronald Smailes, deputy transport manager of South Durham, said they were at peak production at their West Hartlepool works and were being impeded by delays in deliveries. There were repercussions all along the production line. To try to effect an improvement they had introduced a scheme with the co-operation of three hauliers, Cawthorn and Sinclair, William Brunskill, and R. P. Durham. Tractors and trailers being supplied to assemble loads at a central area, but none of the firms was able to contribute more than three or four trailers without jeopardizing service to other customers.
Some 120 consignments were waiting to be uplifted and his company was convinced that a substantial number of articulated vehicles was required. There was too much delay between a load being reported ready and a vehicle arriving. Their orders were from all over the United Kingdom.
It had been agreed at a meeting with the three hauliers that they should each apply for an extra ten vehicles. This number would keep the works in a fluid condition. Although there had been a general drop in steel production this year, the demand for transport for the West Hartlepool works had never been so great.
Mr. Hanlon: "This country cannot stand very much more being put on the road. But there is no power for a Licensing Authority to say 'This is rail traffic'."
When Mr. Hanlon asked what was the supply position for new vehicles, he was told that Cawthorn and Sinclair had seven immediately available and were expecting another three. Brunskills had been operating with 12 and had another 12 on order. Durhams had three available and were expecting another two within a few days.