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Farewell to a tilt
Page 36
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WITH regard to the letter of May 3 from R. M. Castle. I would wish to clarify the situation. When I say the vehicle was refused entry to Holland and West Germany I did not infer that this was due to it not having TIR status but to the very poor condition of TIR type tilt. I am quite aware of the various Customs conventions regarding international transport as this company has been exporting since 1970.
• Mr Castle is of course, quite correct in his assumption 'that our problems arise from our "dead body-. Those who are interested, should know the body has been consigned to the great body builder in the skyl Should anybody in Rochdale, Lancs observe any UFOs in the near future please don't be alarmed it's only the ghost of MB transport's, non-TER-type, tilt on its way home.
'MALCOLM E. BOGAERT, M. B. Transport, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland
Poaching or coaching
After reading the article by David Wilcox headed 'London Operator's Tourist Bonanza', CM May 3, and fully agreeing with most of the remarks contained therein by Mr Colin Smith of Sabre Coaches, who is secretary of the London Tourist Coach Operators' Association, may I point out one remark with which I do not agree.
Apparently Mr Smith feels that he is justified in being an noyed with provincial coach operators 'poaching' foreign tourist work in the capital. More importantly, out-of-town operators he says, cannot provide the same service or have the same expertise, and that the operator must be on the spot.
Point taken Mr Smith, all your members might be professionals on the London scene, but are you telling us that no one connected with the coaching industry and based say in the Midlands or in the North of EngLand, or even as far away as Scotland is capable of taking on a tour and commentary of London's West End and City?
I am Yorkshire born and bred, and take a pride in saying that I am quite capable, (along with a few colleagues of mine) of taking on the London detailed commentary, with possibly the same expertise as any one else, covering an area from St Catherine's — Tower Bridge in the East, to Lambeth Palace and The Royal Albert Hall in the West, Over the past years I have been in conversation with coach operators and drivers whilst parked in the beautiful Lake District or the Yorkshire Dales, and they have told me they were operating a few days tour of the area with a commentary of the surrounding beauty spots. Many of these people were based in London and the South Country.
Surely Mr Smith, is that not poaching? The Northener 'poaching' London, and the Cockney and the South Countryman 'poaching' the North of this island of ours.
In conclusion, Mr Smith says that the standards of London coach operators have to be much higher than those in the provinces.
Surely standards are judged by the Traffic Commissioners and as for vehicles and drivers, may I point out that at the industries' National Coach Rallies both Brighton and Blackpool, the main trophies, 'Coach of the • Year' and 'Driver of the Year', usually find their way to opera tors in the Midlands and the North.
H. CLAYFORTH, Victoria! Coaches, Guiseley, nr Leeds
Buy British
I NOTICED from Commercial Motor of May 10 that after evaluation, Tesco, (a company founded from very humble beginnings), has placed an initial order for 35 Volvo F7 tractor units.
The Volvo is an excellent machine; but Leyland (especially with their highly accepted T45 Roadtrain) ERF and Foden to name but three British manufacturers, also produce excellent vehicles. The only difference is that these vehicles are built in Britain by British people who earn money some of which is spent in Tesco stores.
The total outlay on 35 vehicles and attendant parts over their life cycle must be some £1,500,000. Surely Tesco could have backed Sir Michael Edwardes in his valiant effort to get us all to 'Buy British'.
P. R. FELTHOUSE, Sales director, Longton Transport Equipment Co Ltd Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs Tesco has now also placed a substantial order for ERFs. CM May 31. ED.
MP's support
Your editorial -Dangerous Toys" suggests that the introduction of Citizens' Band Radio to Britain would result in an increase of traffic accidents. Research carried out by the US Government suggests otherwise. A survey in New York State (where the population density is similar to our own)
indicates that Citizens' Band may save hundreds of lives each 'year.
Far from advising Mr Fowler to work to prevent Citizens' Band you should be pressing him to seek its speedy introduction as 1 am.
CYRIL FLETCHER, MP House of Commons SW1
CB would help
Re your editorial (CM May 24) lain Sherriff says these dangerous toys CB radios, will interfere with concentration of drivers. Well he may as well say that an ordinary radio or cassette player can do the same. I am a frequent user of the M62 and have often run into long tail-backs on this road. If I had a CB in my cab I would have avoided them. As for BBC traffic bulletins, they always seem to come over when I am in the middle of a jam. Also I think they could be useful in case of an accident or breakdown. CB would, I am sure, get help faster than having to walk to a telephone. One bloke I know had to walk a good two miles to a phone when he broke down. only to find it vandalised when he got there. If it had been an accident someone could have been dead, so please lain have a look at the good side of CBs before condemning them out of hand.
S. B. COLLINS Bridlington, N. Humberside We are always pleased to receive letters from readers but we do reserve the right to edit them.
Address your correspondence to: The Editor, Commercial Motor, Dorset House, Stamford Street, London SE1 9LU.