Big Cattle Outfit to Cut Costs
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TO obtain a saving in the cost of food transport, the Western Licensing Authority last week granted a licence ta Mr. D. A. Miles, Bawdrip, Somerset. to operate a cattle truck 26 ft. long which would draw a 16-ft.-long trailer,
The applicant required the outfit for sheep transport, and said that an existing vehiele 22 ft. long operated over long distances had proved extremely economical. There was a .large-scale movement of early-born Somerset lambs to Scotland.
Mr. E. Chiswell, of the Fatstock Marketing Corporation, said that although the Corporation sent cattle and pigs by rail, it was cheaper and better for animals to be carried by road as it avoided two transfers of load.
British Road Services and the railways opposed the application. Mr. Miles pointed out that B.R.S. lorries were smaller than his and could not carry up to 160 lambs or 100 sheep as was possible in his larger vehicles.
Mr. J. Cutten, farmer, said that he would often buy bigger quantities of sheep at markets throughout the country if he knew of vehicles big enough to carry them.
MR. COYLE ATTACKS RAIL SUBSIDY
A STRONG attack on the Governr-1 ment's plan to subsidize the railways is made by Mr. F. Coyle, national secretary of the passenger transport group, in the current issue of the Transport and General Workers' Record. Whilst the road passenger transport industry did not object to fair competition, he says, it was entitled to lodge a strong protest at this attempt by the railways to "filch away" traffic from the roads. He suggests that the policy now being followed by the British Transport Commission may be conditioned by the composition of its executive. The road passenger transport industry did, not appear to have any voice in the Commission.
" It is time a new examination was made. Let us get back to the basis that was envisaged in the 1947 [Transport] Act. Let the accent on modernization of transport not be simply for the one purpose of restoring the railway systems of this country. Let everyone realize that both road and rail have a contribution to make to the industrial and social life of this country, and to look at the problem as a transport problem. and not as one for railways only." he says.
Mr. Coyle points out that since the formation of the Commission, road transport has made a substantial contribution to its finances. "It can continue to do so, but only providing that transport is looked at from the policy of integration, and not from unfair and Government-subsidized competition.''