Work to U.S. Base Beyond Limit
Page 56
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BECAUSE two B-licensed vehicles of M.S. Haulage, Ltd., Liverpool, had been mainly employed to carry food to the U.S. Air Force base at Burtonwood, near Warrington, they had exceeded the seven-mile limit imposed by the licence terms.
This came to light before Mr. A. H. Jolliffe, North Western Deputy Licensing Authority, last week, when the company applied to extend the limit to 20 miles. It was explained that the Americans had left Burtonwood and the food transport had• ceased. There had been many requests from organizations outside the Liverpool area who wished to use the company's facilities.
Mr. G. P. Crowe,' for the British Transport Commission, who objected, pointed out that Burtonwood was more than seven miles from Liverpool. Therefore M.S. had been operating improperly. It was a case of "gross carelessness" by a company who had a local licence permitting them to operate in Liverpool and Merseyside, he submitted.
Mr. H. H. Roebuck, a director of the applicant concern, said that he had had no intention to deceive. When looking at certain maps it was easy to gain the impression that Burtonwood was near Liverpool.
The majority of maps was accurate, responded Mr. Crowe. Witnesses should have been called to prove that the vehicles would be fully employed if the radius were extended, and figures should have been produced. The applicants had not even bothered to ascertain the places to which they were allowed to carry.
Mr. Jolliffe refused the application for lack of evidence, and said that he would not penalize M.S. as he believed that they had not intended to behave irregularly. They had, however, been guilty of acting carelessly.