Low-loader Hauliers Quote in Court
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THREE haulage concerns operating 1 low-loaders told the Western Licensing Authority last week how much they would each charge to move a bulldozer between tips at Avonmouth and Portishead, Somerset.
First came B.R.S. (Pickfords), Ltd., who said their quotation would be £5 if it were to be regular work, or £7 10s. if it were a single job. The Plant Transport and Installation Co. said their rate would be £8, whilst E. W. Badman and Sons gave £7 10s. as their figure.
The proposition was then put to James Bros., Clapton-in-Gordano, near Bristol, who were seeking a new B licence for a low-loader. They told the Authority, Mr. S. W. Nelson, that they could do the job for £2 10s.
James Bros. were opposed by the other three operators in their bid for a licence to cover the carriage of plant and 'agricultural machinery within 50 miles, with occasional long-distance runs to plant and equipment manufacturers.
Mr. J. Parkes, on their behalf, explained that Clapton-in-Gordano was about five miles from Bristol. James Bros. were agricultural contractors and had a low-loader which was not fully occupied, yet their customers often had to hire low-loaders from Bristol which involved considerable dead vehicle mileage.
Worked at Tips
Mr. Lionel Fowler, Portishead, supported the application. He said he had a bulldozer which worked at tips at Portishead and Avonmouth and it would be of great benefit to him if he could hire transport locally.
Mr. George Hunt, of Hunt Bros., Portishead, said he had a bulldozer but because of transport difficulties he had paid as much as £500 to hire one owned by James Bros.
Mr. Parkes submitted that although the objectors had vehicles available—which was their main case—the question of cost was important. At this stage he called for the quotations for Mr. Fowler's requirements.
Mr. Nelson said it was not right to expect specialized transport to be available in every small place, but he thought a case had been made out by James Bros. The objectors had agreed not to press their case if the proposed conditions were amended, so he would grant a licence for agricultural plant and machinery within 15 miles, with a similar radius for work undertaken for Mr. Fowler.