'Try again' firm succeeds
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• If two haulage operators planning a joint business did not toe the line and avoid mistakes of the past they could expect to lose their livelihood in the future, said Mr. P. Kenworthy Brown, representing them at a S.174 inquiry at the Metropolitan traffic court on Wednesday. Application for an A-licence was made by H and G (West London) Transport Ltd., HPH Transport Ltd. and Hayes Storage and Forwarding Co. Ltd. for six vehicles.
Mr. W. Levitt, the deputy LA, granted the new A-licence for four vehicles only, conditioning three of them "general goods in London and within a 100 miles, with occasional longer journeys" and the fourth "shop fitting and exhibition materials within 200 miles and magazines any distance". The licence was granted for one year only.
Mr. Kenworthy Brown said H and G (West London) Transport had been under the control of Mr. W. C. Gregory and there had been some connection with HPH Transport in the past.
It had now been decided to renew the connection. Mr. J. Perkins had become a director of H and G and, subject to the applications being granted, it was proposed that the vehicles previously operated by HPH and Hayes Storage should all come under one licence and be operated by H and G. This would leave HPH undertaking the warehousing and storage business previously handled by Hayes Storage. The latter company was now in liquidation. Mr. Perkins was a director of HPH and Hayes Storage until 1962, when he sold his shareholding and resigned. On returning in July 1968 he found the affairs of both companies in a mess, which he had to try and clear up, said Mr. Kenworthy Brown. The situation has been extremely complicated and in the meantime he has had to consider customers' needs.
Mr. Levitt asked him why Hayes Storage, with a very large income and very modest expenditure, had gone on the rocks. Mr. Perkins said this pattern had happened before in previous businesses he had been connected with after an initial period of success.
Summing up Mr. Kehworthy Brown said the applicants had a lot of past irregularities and some matters still remained obscure. But Mr. Perkins now deserved a chance to see what he could do as he had the reputation of giving exceptionally good service as a haulier.
Mr. Levitt, in giving his decision, said Hayes Storage with its very large earning capacity, had few assets beyond its licensed vehicles. They were the revenue-earning assets of the company, and were withdrawn when it was at a low ebb, to form a basis for Mr. Perkins and Mr. Gregory to build their fortunes anew.
The deputy LA said the whole situation regarding the collapse of Hayes Storage was very unsatisfactory.