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Bumbledom's Blitz on Transport

8th May 1942, Page 17
8th May 1942
Page 17
Page 18
Page 17, 8th May 1942 — Bumbledom's Blitz on Transport
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

LAST week our erudite contributor, "Tantalus," referred briefly to the many irritating cases in which summonses are issued against road-transport drivers and operators in connection with purely technical alleged offences. This pin-pricking policy (but perhaps "pin" is too minute a weapon to use as a comparison) applies to thousands of other cases, not all of a technical nature. Many of them are, of course, concerned with exceeding the various limits of speed. However, the effect is the same. Drivers and their employers have been suffering fairly heavy penalties, frequently grossly in excess of what would appear to be justified by the nature of the offences, and much time which would have been of great value to the war effort is thereby wasted, for, in the majority of instances, the magistrates demand the presence in court of the alleged offenders.

A few days ago we were having a chat on this matter with Mr. J. C. Francis, secretary of the United Road Transport Workers Association of England, and he gave us some impressive figures concerning the great increase which has occurred recently in the number of cases coming under his purview, and applying only to members of his particular union. In 1938 there were 123 legal cases ; this rose by a small number to 136 in 1939; in 1940 to 166, and in 1941 to 223. But now comes the extraordinary rise, for in 1942, up to the third vek in April, there have been 232—more than in the whole of the previous year. In addition, the police are increasingly employing that pernicious habit of issuing three summonses, in the, often-justified, hope that the victim will be caught out on at least one.

The Ramp of Multiple Charges As a specific example : one driver on observing the traffic lights change, brought his vehicle to a halt half-way over the limit line, but not actually past the lights. He was subsequently summoned on three charges, these being "dangerous driving," "careless driving", and "failure to observe." Because he had to proceed on a long journey he was excused from attending on the particular day on which he should have appeared at court but, of course, had to appear on the date to which the case was put back. He was fined, and despite the permission referred to above, he was mulcted of double costs and, incidentally, lost two days' work.

It is a curious state of affairs, but it has been found that drivers are practically never caught by the police in their own towns, although this would probably not apply to larger cities where the individual is merged in the multitude. From this it might be presumed that the stranger within the gates is the particular prey, which shows an unfortunate policy of impoliteness to visitors. It may, of course, be that a man driving in the neighbourhood of his own hqme is more careful, but we are disinclined to take this view. However one looks upon the matter, it is particularly unfortunate that drivers are so often caught far from the centre of their operations because this so frequently involves long and difficult journeys, and a wdrste of a day or two's time, in order to attend the hearing of cases Observe the Law or the Schedule?

Some time ago, in a particularly busy eistrict, the drivers of the buses in the area received a whole batch of summonses. Now, all these men were working to a time schedule, arranged by the municipal transport department. The secretary of the union to which these men belonged, after taking legal advice, had posted upon the notice board_ in the 'transport department a letter to the men advising them to observe the law, not the schedule. This obtained rapid results, for the department concerned decided that it would defend the men who had been accused, and eventually the charges were dropped ; yet, if they had been employed in some other capacity, such as haulage for a private operator, there is little doubt that fines would have been inflicted.

We must, of course, remember that the police are carrying out their legal duty in keeping such checks upon road transport. It is not really in their province to turn a blind eye to obvious breaches ol the law. It would probably be found impossible to make wholesale changes in the regulations governing the use and construction of motor vehicles but, in war time almost anything can be achieved under the Defence Regulations. Wd suggest, therefore, that the higher authorities concerned should give close attention to this important matter, and do all that they can to prevent the efficiency of road transport, and its valuable contribution to the war effort, being impaired by over-zealous application of the multitudinous, and often trivial restrictions, by which drivers and operators are bound during the days of "peace," and which could well be reduced during such a crisis as the Nation is now passing through.,

Abolish Check Weighing to Save Fuel and Tyres

ASOURCE of considerable loss to the roadtransport industry and, consequently, to the war effort, in respect of tithe, fuel and tyres, is being caused by the check weighing of vehicles in connection with their taxation.

• In one case, of which we have been notified by an operator near Bristol, he has had notice to produce 13 vehicles to be reweighed, although some of these received this delicate attention only six months ago. The nearest weighbridge to which his vehicles are ordered to proceed is 10 miles from his garage, and the hours during which the operation can be conducted are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2.15 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. He estimates that the result of this, really unnecessary, procedure is that 30 gallons of fuel will be consumed, each vehicle will lose approximately a day's work, and, apart from the wear of the vehicles, there is that which is even more important still, the loss of tyre life.

Of what use is it for the Ministry of War Transport to appeal: for a quicker turnround and other methods of conserving transport if such important factors are to be nullified by other Departments, which, apparently, do not intend to co-operate? We have already taken up this matter with the Ministry of War Transport and with the chief investigator of fuel wastage under the Petroleum Department of the Board of Trade, and we hope that these efforts will bring some satisfactory result.

Check weighing, in these times, is an unnecessary "luxury." It may be that some vehicles have become slightly heavier during the past year or two, but what of it? Any increase in weight is most probably due to the difficulty of obtaining spare parts and timber of the same weight as those hitherto supplied. Frame members may have to be plated instead of renewed, bodies may have to be patched in lieu of the fitting of new timber-or panels, parts previously fashioned in light metals may have to be replaced by others in iron or steel, and it must be remembered, that, in many cases, the addition of only a few pounds in weight may alter the rate of taxation.

Surely, however, it is vastly more important to keep these vehicles at their proper work, helping in the transport of munitions and food, than to worry about such a negligible matter, which is, in most instances, entirely due to war conditions of service.

• This is but one example of palpable waste, but there may be others to which the attention of the authorities should be drawn, and for the sake of the industry we shall be glad if any of our readers who have knowledge of them will send the details to us.

We may mention in this connection that many, owners of ancillary vehicles which are not operating under defence permits feel aggrieved— of course, purely in the war interest—because they are not permitted to pick up return loads unless they convey these free of charge. This is a matter which has already been brought by us before the Ministry of War Transport, but its view is—and, in this instance, we consider it to be a correct one —that the cobbler should stick to his last, and it would disorganize the whole system of transport control if ancillary users were allowed to run about freely picking up loads for hire or reward. It is only where there is a real shortage of vehicles owned by genuine hauliers that ancillary operators have been invited to assist.


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