Road Transport No Threat to Railways
Page 33
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
" 1 HAVE never believed that road I competition was the sole or, indeed, the main reason why railways have declined in this country. I have never believed ... that roads were a practical alternative to railways—or indeed that it was not possible to develop them both."
Mr. G. Wilson made this statement in the House of Commons on Monday when the British Transport Commission Bill, mainly concerning projected railway improvements, came up for its second reading.
Britain had 14,874 vehicles per 1,000 miles of road, said Mr. Wilson, and any large increase in traffic would cause a perpettial traffic jam on existing roads. British Railways need not fear that their traffic was going on to the roads, neither was it possible to develop the roads so that they could take all possible traffic.
Mr. Wilson did not agree with Mr. Sparks that it would be "economic folly" to divorce the Road Haulage Executive from• the B.T.C., because the danger to the railways from road transport was not as great as some people believed.
There was £70m. worth of capital invested in the R.H.E., compared with £1,180m. in the B.T.C.; the R.H.E. controlled only 5-6 per cent, of the goods vehicles on the roads and this could not support the railways.
" USELESS " ENTRY: COMPANY FINED
A LTHOUGH, as stated in evidence, tithe police regularly checked the registers of the Birmingham depot of the Car Collection Co., Ltd., and had made no complaint, the company was fined £5 at Bromsgrove last week for failing to complete an entry in a duplicate record book concerning a journey made by a pick-up vehicle under limited trade plates.
Mr. G. A. Stone, county licence controller, said that an entry had been made that was so misleading as to be quite useless. When a police officer called to sec the company, Mr. L. G. Hind, a director, produced a register and showed the entry " B1/139." Mr. Hind said that this meant all the nine purposes which were covered in the appropriate regulations. He told the court that all possible reasons were covered by making such an entry and he could not see where a slip had been made.
The driver of the pick-up was fined 10s.
WESTBURY'S 18,964 DEFICIENCY WHEN a meeting of the Creditors of Vlf Westbury Luxury Coaches, Ltd., Bristol, was held last week, it was stated. that coaches had been leaving for the Continent only half full. Mr. G. C. Ehlers said that there was a deficiency of £8,964. Most of the assets of the concern were subject to hire-purchase agreements and there had been heavy capital commitments in various directions. The company was incorporated in 1948 with a capital of £1,000, since when several loans had been advanced. Liabilities included £14,200 on coaches subject to hire-purchase agreements, and £10,273 due to trade creditors.
Last Saturday, W.E.M.S., Clevedon, agreed to take over the Westbury business. It is expected that the Westbury Continental tours will be continued.
I.B.C.A.M. CELEBRATION
SOME 600 members and guests of the Institute of British Carriage and Automobile Manufacturers met for its annual dinner and dance in London on Monday.
Mr. H. G. Hicks, president of the National Federation of Vehicle Trades, said that the Federation sprang from the Institute in 1915, because of the need for a body which could arrange wage settlements, conditions of employment, etc.
Mr. E. Fox, president, emphasized the value of the work of the Institute's local centres_ Major R. M. Woolley, C.13.E., Master of The Worshipful Company of Coach Makers and Coach Harness Makers, also spoke.
GLACIER BUYS CASTINGS MAKER
ABUSINESS manufacturing aluminium and brass die-castings, Scottish Precision Castings, Ltd., has been acquired by the Glacier Metal Co., Ltd., at a price of about £18,700. According to a circular issued by the directors of the Glacier Metal Co., Ltd., aluminium and brass die-castings are essential in the manufacture of a new product which is about to begin at Carfin, Lanarkshire.
N.C.B. PRICES UP
PRICES of N.C.B. electric vehicles rose on March I. Charges for chassis without batteries are now as follows : 14-cwt., £562 10s. 9d.; 1-ton, £659 12s. 11d.; 1k-ton, £728 13s.; 2-ton, £884 10s. 9d. Prices of complete dairy vehicles without batteries are: 14-cwt., £744 10s. 9d.; 1-ton, £854 12s. lid.; 11-ton, £927 13s.; 2-ton, £1,130 10s. 9d. These figures include purchase tax.
YORKSHIRE R.H.A. DINNER
THE South Yorkshire Area of the Road Haulage Association will hold its annual dinner at the Grand Hotel, Sheffield, next Wednesday. Major F. S. Eastwood, Yorkshire Licensing Authority, Mr. G. M. Flather, the Master Cutler, and Mr. B. Winterbottom, national vice-chairman of the R.H.A., will be present.
"Minute's Notice" • Service Wanted
" COMPETITION is now go keen in the radio industry that we must be able to send consignments from our factory to wholesalers in the district at a minute's notice," said a witness representing the R.M. Electric Co., Ltd., Gateshead, at a hearing held by the Northern Licensing Authority on Monday at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Messrs. Malthouse Bros. applied for a B licence to carry for the company within a 30-mile radius. The Railway and Road Haulage Executives objected.
The witness said that the firm had a small vehicle which was suitable for "running about" locally and virtually to act as a "messenger boy." The R.M. company had no vehicles of its own. When challenged about the service provided by, the R.H.E., which had a depot some 200 yds. from the factory, the witness stated: " I can never get a wagon from you at short notice, and when you do send one, it is sometimes a 6-tonner to carry a 28-1b. carton and the cost is prohibitive."
The licence was granted. The Authority said that he considered the service offered by the R.H.E. not to be flexible enough. He was satisfied that the R.H,E. would not be affected.
COUNTY RULE CAUSES INDECISION
PAA NEW regulation imposed by Bedford County Council has been strongly criticized and has caused indecision among local hauliers. It rules that no vehicle carrying sand, gravel or any other loose substance shall be used on any road in the county sinless its condition is such that no part of the material carried will fall to the ground.
One section deals with water falling on the road. Another states that no person shall drive or use a vehicle liable to drop material and warns drivers to "take such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure no one of the above happens."
After being loaded, lorries are standing outside the loading bays for about 10 minutes to drain and thereby losing running time. Operators consider this to be the only way of complying with the rule.
63 ACQUISITIONS DEFERRED QIXTY-THREE of the 95 hauliers .-'concerned have accepted the offer of the British Transport Commission to postpone acquisition for six months. The Minister of Transport gave this information to Mr. James Callaghan on Monday.
Mr. A. E. Davies was told that the Minister could not yet give the date when the Government's proposals for the future of the haulage industry would be announced.
NEW REAR-LIGHT RULES?
THE Minister of Transport stated in the House of Commons on Monday that he had under consideration the desirability of changes in the law affecting vehicle rear lighting.