" No Stranglehold, Says Authority
Page 39
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I REFUSE to grant licences which enable one haulier. to . have a stranglehold on these small hauliers with one or two vehicles," declared Mr. J. A. T. Hanlon, Northern Licensing Authority, last week, when the percentages taken by operators on opencast coal haulage before paying subcontractors were mentioned.
Mr. W. S. Hepplewhite, Kenton, Newcastle upon Tyne, asked for a B
licence to carry opencast coal, The Authority said that his remarks were not directed against the applicant, but it was "the circumstances in which the opencast contracts are granted which enable the big hauliers to put the screw on the others . . . and as a result ehicles are badly maintained."
Mr. Hanlon referred to Mr. J. G. Ciouston. Bedlington, who in June last applied to renew his B licence for three chides, Mr, CIouston said that when he worked for, other hauliers ori coal transport he had as much as 15 per cent.. deducted from his accounts. The Authority had promised art investiga!ion, but stated last week that he could got no satisfaction from anyone.
Mr. Clouston asserted that he lost money on coal haulage. In one instance be was being paid 6s, 9d. a ton by a haulier who was receiving 10s., add in another he got 1s 3d. a ton from an operator who collected is, 6d.
Mr. Frank Milton. secretary of the Northern Area of the Road Haulage Association, promised the Association's help if further investigations' were to be made
NO MONEY SPENT ON" TRAMS A LTHOUGH the British Transport 1-1. Commission knew that the Grimsby-Immingham tramway needed modernizing, they had not embarked upon a costlt scheme because of the likelihood of a direct rciad service and con sequ ern' 1 Oss-of revenue: This was stated before the East Midland Licensing Authority last week by Mr, H. W. Graham. district commercial inanager• of British Railways, when the Lincolnshire Road -Car Co., Ltd.; a pplied to run-a service from Grimsby. 10 the Laporte Titanium factory at
Sta ngborough. • Granville Tours objected.. They wished to run a similar service and were opposed by the .B.tc. , Mr. H. J. Downs, traffic manager of the company, said that if need for the service were proved, the company, should provide facilities, as they were part of the Commission. Mr. R. S. Whitby, for the B.T.C., stated that tramway passengers had been paying money to the Commission an' would continue to do so if the company took.
if Ver.
RECORD HOLIDAY TRAFFIC handled by Victoria Coach Station last week-end broke all previous records for the August Bank olida y period.
Disabled Vehicle a Trailer
T" question whether a van without an engine was a disabled mechanical vehicle or a trailer -was debated before Maryport magistrates last week. They eventually decided that it was a trailer.
A Carlisle general dealer and his two sons were involved in charges arising
out of towing the vehicle, James Atkinson. Mr., was stated to have been driving the van and his brother, John R, Atkinson. was steering ihe towed vehicle.
Defendants stated, that one of then) had bought the van with no engine or bonnet, and they were taking it back to Carlisle. Mr. Carter, their solicitor, agreed that for Excise purposes any thing towed which would carry goods was a trailer, but submitted that, for insurance purposes, it was a disabled mechanical vehicle in tow.
James Atkinson, jr., was fined .£10 for using a vehicle for a purpose for which a higher rate of duty should have been paid (to tow a trailer), but charges of using a vehicle without thirdparty insurance and 'using a trailer without efficient brakes were dismissed.— The insurance allowed one disabled vehicle to be towed, but not a trailer.
Charges against John R. Atkinson and against the father. James Atkinson,
son., were dismissed.
LORRY RALLY FOR SCOTLAND? A SUB-COMMITTEE of the Scot4'1 fish Division of the Traders' Road Transport Association is investigating thepossibility 'of holding. a "-Lorry Driver of the Year" competition in Scotland next year, •IN A LINE OR TWO Volkswagen are to build an assembly plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Two hundred Mercedes-Benz buses have been ordered by Istanbul Traffic Corporation. which is renewing its fleet.
Because they are losing money, singledeck trolleybuses operated by Rotherham Corporation arc to be converted into
double-deckers. .
A list of members who are willing to help °the.' hauliers Whose vehicles break down is proposed to. be published by the
Road Haulage Association. . .
Sentinel (Shrewsbury), Ltd., have appointed A.H. Edmondsand Son Pty.; Ltd., 217 Beardy Street, Armidate, New. South Wales, to he their distributors throughout the State.
£26,956 Maintenance Claim Investigated
A CLAIM for £26,956 by Cuerden L—I Motors, Ltd., Preston, under a contract for the maintenance of Lancashire health service vehicles, has been thoroughly investigated by Aid. Sir Alfred Bates, chairman of Lancashire County Council.
A report by the health committee showed that under a three-year contract up to 1954 the council agreed to buy a specified number of skilled man-hours from the company, but the number was not achieved during the contract and the claim was for hours " shortpurchased."
The council approved the committee's advice that settlement should be reached by transferring premises used by the company to the Lancashire River Board, by transferring some of the company's land to the highways department, and by moving a large quantity of ashes from the &mpany's land to the department.
A payment of £4,500 towards the claim was also approved. The Board will pay the company £7,500 for the premises and the department £2,000 for the ashes and £250 for the land.
HIGHER FARES FOR LINCOLN AND WALLASEY?
PERM ISSION to introduce a 2d.minimum single adult fare on its services is being soght by Lincoln Transport Department. Among other proposals made to the East Midland' Licensing Authority are a general revision of ordinary singles, the aboli, lion of weekly tickets, and a child'? minimum ordinary single rate of 2d.
Wallasey Corporation are considering applying for increased fares, It is pro-, posed to add from Id. to Id. to all rates over the 2-1d. fare, and to raise by 2d. the adult fare for the combined bus and ferry journey between Moreton. Leasowe and Liverpool.
Newcastle upon Tyne Transport Committee have now decided to recommend the city. -council to retain 'workmen's fares, but to increase certain of them by W. The committee's original proposal to abandon workmen's fares was referred back by the city council.
COMBINED. OPERATION TO Bin 170 LORRIES ,
TN conjunction with Holmes and Keel, I Ltd., 'NeWcastle, imbn •Tyne, and Orreil and Brewster (Transport), Ltd., Gateshead-on-TYne,Mr.E.Waters, -of 84 St.-MArys Menne; Mookseatono has purchased: froth British -Road -Services about 1-70 vehicles in 87 units in 'fist 11., Mr. Waters has not previously been engaged in haulage, but has art interest in" the motor :trade through K.: and Motors,Benwell Lane, Newcastle, upon Tyne.' K. and B.: Motors have no connection 'with the 'purchase of B.P..S, vehicles, but Mr, Waters is retaining his connection' with the. business.