Bird's Eye View
Page 54
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Overdoing It
By The Hawk
I N welcoming the Government's proposals to construct motorways, the. British Travel and Holidays Association have submitted a memorandum to the Ministry of Transport concerning the provision of catering facilities. They suggest transport cafés for commercial vehicles, with both snack refreshment places and full restaurants for other road users.
Whilst the commercial road user will agree generally with the aims of the memorandum, the statement that tourist and holiday traffic constitutes the largest single class using Britain's main roads is highly contentious. To allow it to pass unchallenged could have serious implications for commercial users in the future. Not only might the locations of refreshment places be unsuitable or insufficient for passengers on regular coach services, as well as for lorry drivers, but the siting of the motorways might be given unjustified emphasis in tourist centres, rather than between industrial areas.
Back-Door Danger
AT last the possibility has arisen in the north-west of an appeal . which may clarify, the Allison appeal decision. Mr. J. R. Entwistle, a Wigan haulier, who started in 1954 with one vehicle on contract-A licence and now has three vehicles on A licence and seven o.n contract-A, is seeking to transfer five more to A licence. He has already twice been allowed to switch vehicles from contract to open A licences.
The case is part-heard and Mr. J. R. Lindsay, North Western Deputy Licensing Authority, has made it clear that he regards this method of back-door entry as dangerous to the haulage industry. He thinks that evidence by customers in favour of the haulier hiring vehicles to them prevents the work available being offered to other hauliers in the area.
Views have been put forward that existing hauliers, if fully employed, should be given the opportunity of acquiring extra vehicles, instead of granting a licence to a newcomer. On the applicant's behalf it is urged that, to rebut a prima facie ease made out by customers, objectors must show that 'alternative facilities exist at the time of the hearing. The British Transport Commission have submitted that continued grants of this kind would nullify licensing.
Whatever Mr. Lindsay's decision, the case will probably be taken to appeal and Entwistle may become as.eelebrated as Allison.
Opportunity Knocks
A SUGGESTION that deserved, a better fate was made riLlast week to Mr. Harold Watkinson, Minister of Transport, by Mr. Ernest Davies, Labour M.P. for Enfield East. He asked the Minister to make increased grants so that highway authorities could accelerate road maintenance while, as a result of fuel rationing, traffic was fight.
Mr. Watkinson, however, side-stepped neatly by pointing out that all the funds voted by Parliament for maintenance and minor improvements during the current financial year had already been allocated. I hope Mr. Davies will not be satisfied with this answer and will return to the attack.
Mercy Bus
THE picture of the ex-Green Line coach for relief work
among Hungarian refugees in Austria, which accompanied.this feature on January 18, has prompted Mr. Jack Norton, general secretary of the Friends Ambulance Unit, to give me details of their Leyland bus. It was originally operated by W. Alexanaer and Sons, Ltd., Falkirk, but has been working in Vienna for several months. Before leaving. it was thoroughly serviced and a spring was repaired free of charge by Leyland Motors, Ltd.
When the F.A.U. acquired it the 40 seats were removed and the bus was sent out to Vienna with nearly 5 tons of food, medical supplies and clothing. ft has been in full
time service; taking supplies from railheads and airports to warehouse, and from there to camps. On return runs it carries refugees and voluntary workers.
This week the F.A.U. sent out a Commer. 7-tonner with container body, and a Bedford utility. "We expect the need for our :transport services to increase," says Mr. Norton. "The Austrian Government has borne a heavy burden and now seems inclined to rely more on voluntary agencies."
Home Truth TRAVELLING by rail in Yorkshire last week, I had I occasion to stay in a large toWn in which I had not booked OVernight accommodation. I aSked a railway ticket collector whether he could recommend a good hotel. " Well," he said, " there's t' — at bottom o' f' slope." Then, after a moment's reflection, he added: " But 1 'wouldn't stay there if 1 were you. it's a railway hotel. and Lye heard tell as it's not up to much "
I did not stay at "t' "l In fairness to British Railways, however, 1 must add that in four days of travelling each of the many trains 1 used kept almost exactly to time. On a local train I was obliged to take_ in the middle of the day I was staggered to find a buffet car—and was served with an excellent lunch
Na Nonsense
DUR1NG a sitting of the Transport Tribunal last Friday, Mr. N. L. C. Macaskie, Q.C., acting president, had for some time been listening with detachment to the respondents' case. Wishing to emphasize a passage from the Licensing Authority's decision, Mr. J. R. C. Samuel-Gibbon (appearing for the British Transport Commission) said " With no nonsense the Licensing Authority said . ."
" Does that description distinguish the passage from the rest of the decision?" inquired Mr. Iviaeaskie,
Words in Time
SOME good topical pOints on road safety are to be .found in the monthly posters published by the Road Operators Safety Council. The February poster, for instance, reminds professional drivers that because there is now less traffic on the roads, those who are still fortunate enough to be able to drive may become much less careful.
It also urges them to report dangerous road, conditions promptly to local highway authorities, so that grit may quickly be spread and save others from harm.
Far Flung
THE Road Haulage Association are mystified by a sudden interest in their activities on-the part of Chinese operators. Over a dozen have taken out subscriptions to the Association's official organ The Road Way, Mr. Frank Lyon,. the editor, tells me. He cannot think what they may be doing to attract the attention of those behind the bamboo curtain.
Silent Service
A1,THOUGH•the use of rationed fuel by coach operators and private motorists has been unjustly attacked in some quarters, professional operators of motor boats have escaped attention. If rationing continues, during the cruising season, hirers will be able to make available to customers petrol sufficient for 100 miles a week. I am told that few people ever cover this mileage and the operators are apparently in the aquatic equivalent of clover.
No Filthy Lucre
CAERPHILLY'S strong aesthetic sense has overcome the council's desire to make the buses pay and all advertisements are to be removed when the existing contracts end. Even the six transparencies on the bus windows are to go.