News of the Week
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HAULAGE SCHEME FINANCIAL PROVISIONS UNACCEPTABLE
IT is reported in well-informed quarters that at last week's meeting, in London, between the Standing joint Committee's finance panel and representatives of concerns invited to become controlled undertakings under the Government's new haulage scheme, the proceedings revealed that of 'these 47 concerns only four had signed their acceptance of the financial provisions,. as modified by the Ministry of War Transport in consequence of representations by the S.J.C.
In view of criticisms still raised against the financial provisions, it was decided to ask the Mirristry to reopen discussions upon them. The meeting was adjourned pending the result of this request.
PAY CLAIM FOR BUS WORKERS
ACLAIM for an increase of 15s. weekly for Workers in the bus industry has been made to the Employers' Section of the National Council for the-Omnibus Industry on behalf of members of the Transport and General Workers' Union, the National Union of Railwaymen, and the ,National Union of General and Municipal Workers.
EXPERIENCED ROAD TRANSPORT MAN AVAILABLE
WE know of a man, over military. W age, but active, who is looking for a position. He has had long experience in road transport, having been an engineering superintendent to the London General Omnibus Co., Ltd., for several years prior to 1914. He was awarded the O.B.E. for war services and rethrned to become chief engineer to an important bus company, later becoming also joint, general manager. He is a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and of the Institute of Transport, and possesses wide cnmmercial and administrative experience. Letters should be addressed. " Engineer," care of the Editor.
H.M.F. MEETINGS FIXED
THE meeting of Hauliers' Mutual Federation at Reading is not as previously announced, but will take place an Monday. February 8, at 2.30 p.m., at the Alkon Tavern, Alfred Street, off Oxford Road. The meeting at Bristol is at 2.30 p.m. on February 10 at the Royal _Hotel, College Green. Both are open meetings and all haulage contractors are invited.
MINISTRY OF SUPPLY, LOSES
• ACTION AGAINST TYRE TRADERS WE referred, in our issue dated 'W December 18, to' proceedings against several individuals and companies taken by the. Ministry of Supply on the grounds' that they had acquired and disposed of rubber tyres without the necessary authbrity, It was mentioned that four cases werf heard at the Guildhall, Kingston-on-Thames.
We have not been notified by the Ministry as to the results of these proceedings, but we are interned from other sources that these four cases and some 15 others were dismissed. .
We think it would have been only fair to the people concerned if the Ministry had also 'notified us of this reSult.
PAPER is a vital munition of If you waste it• you delay our victory,
r. BRITISH VEHICLES PRAISED IN A DISPATCH ,
THERE has been a certain amount of misunderstanding concerning the Cairo Communique referring to th,e advance of 750 miles from El Alamein to El Agheila, when 2,500 lorries were employed as an endless chain between Tobruk and Benghazi alone. The correct order of the vehicles mentioned in this communique and in the poster issued by the Ministry of Supply to works, is as follows:—Guy, Crossley, Thornycroft, Leyland, Earlier, etc. This order has been officially confirmed.
The Ford vehicles which received particular praise were staff cars, which maintained communication between G.H.Q. and the Eighth Army.
REVISED HAULAGE RATES FOR CORN
NEW and revised rates fbr the haulage of corn have been ' agreed amongst members of A.R.O. in the Eastern Area. They are as follow :
The above rates apply to lots of to tons or over, ex mill or .ex farm on, local. cross-country journeys, one pick up and one drop.
Split deliveries Two pick-ups or deliveries, plus 20 per cent. three, pick-ups or deliveries, plus .331 per cent. Multiple pick-ups or .deliveries, by arrangement.
ASSOCIATION JOINT WORKING PROGRESS IN WEST MIDLANDS XAEMBERSHIP strepgth of A.R.O. Mand the C.M.U.A. in the West Midland Area has, we are advised, increased by over 33i per cent, since the joint working arrangement was set up in the middle of 1940. One point of special interest is that out of the 'representatives from that area on
4. the National Councils of both Associations only one was represented on either. Council three years ago, and that is Mr. F. C. Campbell of the C.M,U:A. Mr. G. F. Goodwin has been area secretary of both organiza tiOnS since the joint working commenced.
• IMPROVED LIGHTING ON PASSENGER ROAD VEHICLES
REgULTING from joint consideration between London Transport and the Government Departments concerned, certain improvements are.being made in the lighting of motorbuses, trolleybUses and trams. In some cases interior lighting will-be improved by an increase in the intenSity of the lamps and in others by alterations to the shades. Alterations to head lamps 'will also improve the driving light.
Provision is being made whereby the lighting is subject to reduction to the standard approved by the Government in the event of an air-raid "Alert," RELAXATION OF IMMOBILIZING ORDER NOT YET DUE THAT there should be a relaxation of 1 the restrictions on the immobilization of Motor vehicles when parked on public Woperty was a suggestion put by Mr. Higgs to the Home Secretary, in the House of Commons last week. Mr. Morrison said the present _restrictions applied, whether a yehicle was parked on private or public property, and he could not find justification for differen-f Gating in the manner proposed.
Captain C. S. Taylor suggested that this Regulation had outlived its usefulness. " I am not convinced that that is so," replied Mr. Morrison, "although I will from time to time review this matter in the light of current circumstances."
" F,ALSE ECONOMY" TO • ABOLISH TRAFFIC LIGHTS WHAT he termed false economy by the abolition of traffic lights at such important junctions as the one concerned in the case before him, was criticized by the Bradford Stipendiary
Magistrate last week. The proceedings resulted from a collision in daylight between a niotorbus and a irolleybus at a road junction. In overturning on to its side the latter vehicle struck another trolleybus which was stationary; 12 people were injured. 'For the prosecution it was stated that the traffic lights at the junction had not operated since September 12, in accordance with the Government's. policy of cutting down the consumption of electricity.
The Stipendiary Magistrate said he had no doubt that the absence of traffic Ugh' largely contributed to the accident. Expressing the view that it was false ecOnomy to put the lights out of commission, he remarked that lights were far cheaper than polita:men.
The drivers of the two vehicles primarily concerned in the collision were bound over for driving without due care and ordered to pay costs.
FORTY "WEST YORKSHIRE" . BUSES ON PRODUCER GAS?
SSINCE 1939 the. West Yorkshire Car Cb., Ltd., has been experimenting with producer gas for buses, and the company aoticipates that, before long, it will be running 40 buses on this fuel. At present it has five vehicles operating on producer gas
RATES BOUQUET FOR OUR COSTS EXPERT WE learn from the current bulletin of Ylf the Scottish Carriers' and Haulage Contractors' Association, that rates for the conveyance of prisoners of war have' been agreed by certain operators who are members of the Association. The rates adopted were based on figures recommended -by S.T.R. in our latest Tables of Operating Costs. .
JOSEPH LUCAS OFFER FOR NEW-HUDSON I N our issue dated January 1 we referred to the fact, that loseph Lucas, Ltd„ had made an offer to secure the Girling brake part of the business of New-Hudson, Ltd., and we now learn that the offer made to shareholders of thelatter company has been accepted by Over 90 per cent, of each claSs of shareholder'. SERVICE VEHICLE REGULATIONS —ONUS ON DRIVERS
I N a Parliamentary question, last week, Sir John Mellor asked the Attorney-General whether he would identify any regulations under statutory authority which relieved drivers of Service motor vehicles of ,civil obligations. Mr. Noel-Baker took up the reply's. stating that the regulations which relieved Service drivers from certain requirements were Defence Regulation 72 and Motor Vehicles (Variation of Speed Limit) Provisional Regnla tions, 1940. There were others, he added, but .their observance was, to some extent, .a responsibility of the
driver. .
WIN AGAINST REDUCTION OF CHARGE APPLICATION
AN application under the Road Haulage and Hire (Charges) Order, 1942, was made recently to Sir, Havilaud Hiles. R.T.C. for the Eastern (No. 4). region, by Grim and Young, Ltd., in respecteof a charge made by Pickfords, Ltd. . It was concerned with the haulage of machinery from Dunstable to Christchurch. .
.It appears that the applicant tele- • phoned to the haulage concern requesting the transport of machinery weighings5 tons on the following day, and the urgency was stressed. A charge of £42 10s. was quoted and accepted. Later, the applicant wrote to the haulier claiming that the charge was excessive and should have been approximately £12. The haulier admitted an • error and refunded £20. thus readjusting.the charge to £22 10s. This was., • however, still considered to be excessiVe for the distance of 120 miles. It was shown, however, that the vehicle had travelled a total distance of 282 miles, of which 130 was with the load; no other pay load was carried. Overtime payment to the driver and lodging allowance for the night were also involVed.
• Sir Haviland considered that, having regard to the urgency of the movement,. the short mstice, and the nature of the information given to the haulier, the use of a special type of vehicle of 9 tons capacity was 'justified, and that the adjusted charge of £22 10s. Was not unreasonable. The application for a reduction was, therefore, dismissed.
PERSONAL PARS SIR Jostx E. tHQRNYCROFT.
has been elected president of the institution of Civil • Engineers, and we extend to bins our congratulations.
_ Me, ALBERT PAREONtiON, M.B.E., joint managing director, has been appointed deptity " chairman Of Crompton Parkinson, and. Ma.
E. C. HorasovoE has been appiainted .a joint managing ditector of the company.
MR, V. A. M. ROBEBTsoN, M.C.,
M. INST . C. E M :Steen , en gin eerin-chief to the L.P.T.13., has been appointed chairman of a new passel ' composed of Operators of public service vehicles. Which hasbeen 'set up to advise the Minister on ths operation of producer-gas vehicles in the light of experience which is being obtained thsoughout the Country.
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PAR. W. A. BRIDGE, at present Road Haulage Officer, Liverpool, has been appointed Chief Area Road Haulage Officer, acting as general operational assistant on general haulage to the DiVisicinal Road Haulage Officer. He will also be in charge of the meat and livestock movements in the Division. 'MR: C. 3,. DE BURGH becomes Area RoadHaulage Officer at Liverpool, and MR. W. S. FINIAYSON Area Road
Haulage Officer at Manchester. MR', A. C. GRIFFITHS, at present .A...s.istant Area Road Haulage Officer at Liverpool, is to be Area Road Haulage Officer at Warrington, which office svill be opened Shortly. M. T. A. SEATREE has been made Assistant Area Road Haulage Officer at Liverpool.. SHOP NEAR HOME TCLSAVE •BUS TRANSPORT, • SAYS /41.0.W.T..
ITwas 'in the interests of transport economy that country people should shop in their Own districts rather than go to large centres to buy articles which could be obtained as well and as cheaply' nearer at home, said Mr. Noel-Baker in the House last Week. . Lora Leathers, _ he reminded Members, " had recently urged all citizens to confine their Shopping' and recreation to the locality io which they lived. He added that he was glad to have the opportunity to reiterate thiS advice and to make 'it plain that the public, in principle, should rely on local amenities and, • wherever possible, should forgo the use. of all transport over longer distances.
PRAISE FOR RAILWAY ROADVEHICLE DRIVERS
WHEN presenting ,61 awards to VV L.N.E.R. road-vehicle drivers in Manchester for their accident-free services, the chief constable of the city, Sir John Maxwell, said that their record was an outstanding feature of local traffic statistics, having regard; to the large,number of transport vehiclesson the roads. The awards, made on behalf of the Royal Society for the Prevention of ,Accidents, Comprised four medals for five years' consecutive clean records, 19 bars to existing medalholders, and 38 one-year diplomas.
At Newcastle-on-Tyne, similar awards were made to 119 motor driVers with the samt. railway company. •Four drivers who have not had even a minor accident during the past nine years received a fourth bar to their silver medals.
WE recently referred to -Mr. C. S. . VV Dunbar as President of the National Conference of Express Carriers. This should have been Chair, man of the Executive, the President being Mr. W. J. Elliott. Incidentally. the Conference held its annual general . ,meeting last Tuesday.,
ONLY FUEL. DISTRIBUTORS GET COUPON-FREE PETROL EPLYING in the House of Commons last week to Mr. Walkden, who had asked a question about operators of commercial motors who received sopplies of coupon-free petrol, Major Lloyd George, Minister of Fuel and Power, explained that, apart . from certain • vehicles engaged solely in the distribus tiou of petroleum products or benzole, which were covered by a licence under the Motor Fuel Rationing Order, no commercial vehicle was fuelled without the surrender of coupons. The application of the licence to certain vehicles, Mel been recently withdrawn and the question of withdrawing it from others was under consideration.
BIRMINGHAM C.M.U.A. OFFICIALS APPOINTED .
AT the annual general meeting of the Birmingham Area of the Commercial Motor Users Association held last week, new officials were appointed as follow:—C.hairmari, Mr. H. Gopsill, Messrs. Gopsill Bros.; vice-chairman, Mr. H. Pagett, the Midland COunties Dairy, Ltd.
Delegates to the West Midland Division and Sectional Boards comprise Messrs. J. W. Collinge, . W. Shotton, J. Redmond, L. J. Madden, 0. C. Power, H. Woolley, I). Rhydtlerch; deputy: G. II. Langer.
A considerably increased memberShip was' reported.
CONDUCTRESSES ARE KEYSTONE TO THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM
LOCAL authorities owning transport ismaertakings-in the north-east have met *to discuss the notification from the Ministry of Labour that it is intended to call up, for factory work, mobile women now actiug as con
ductresses. It is stated that if the plan be carried out, and undertakings are not able to find effective substitutes for the conductresses, transport services may be further curtailed.
sMr. H. C. Godsmark, 'general manager of the Newcastle-on-Tyne transpOrt undertaking, said that the girls it was intended to call up are the keystone
af the transport system. Over 400. women and girls are at present working for the Newcastle authority.
Aid. Richard Mayne, chairman of Newcastle Traosport Committee, said that the plan, if put into operation would be a menace to the undertaking.
• A deputation is to meet the Ministry of Labour on the matter.
. A.R.O. SETS UP YARMOUTH COMMITTEE
FOR some time suggestions have been made that hauliers in Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and district should set up 'their own local committee sa as to he in a position to deal with their
• own peculiar problems and traffics, and at a well-attended meeting of members and Man-members of A.R.O., held at preat Yarmouth, this was done.
The meeting opened under the chairmanship of Mr. Jack Smith; of Eastern Roadways, Ltd., vice-chairman of the Norwich Sub-Area in which Great Yarmouth is situated and he was supported by Mr. G. W. Irwin, Eastern Area secretary.
• • Mr. W. Lating, of Great Yarmouth, was elected chairman and Mr.. .C. Hackney, of Toby Transport, Ltd., was appointed honorary secretary of the .new committee which has arranged to meet on the first 'Monday of every month. One item which will come up for early discussion Will be corporation work, with' which, we learn, local members are not at all satisfied.
DRIVER FINED FOR LEAVING . HIS JOB
FINED 30s., at Scarborough, last week, for leaving essential work without the authority of the Ministry of Labour, a motor driver said that although engaged as a driver for a coal company he had also to tip coal. He complained that the work was too heavy, as his medical category was C3,