Objectors impose conditions for BR work then withdraw
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Of loads passing onto the Freightliners at the Longsight, Manchester, depot, 41.67 per cent was the trunk-haul part of private hauliers' own traffic, it was disclosed in Manchester on Tuesday.
The British Railways Board was applying to the North Western Licensing Authority to add 15 maximum-capacity artics to its 18-vehicle fleet for c. and d. work at the depot. However, after a road/rail negotiating committee meeting, the application was reduced to nine.
For BR, Mr. H. Mann said the containers passing through Longsight had increased from 6,599 in 1966 to 21,199 in 1967, and there was a potential for a further 159 containers each week. The railways' own traffic represented about 48 per cent of the present
total carried, he said.
There had been 41 objections to the application but these were withdrawn, subject to the following undertakings in respect of the Longsight depot: (1) BR will continue as a matter of policy to hire private hauliers' vehicles as and when necessary; (2) They will not make another application this year; (3) The depot manager will undertake testing of hauliers' vehicles on Saturday mornings to ascertain suitability for the container haulage, and subject to suitability there will be no discriminating in hiring them.
For the objectors, Mr. J. A. Backhouse explained that the third assurance was necessary because, having used certain vehicles for a considerable period, BR suddenly announced at Christmas that they were
unsuitable. If vehicles submitted did not meet the railways' requirements, hauliers requested that reasons should be given in writing.
BR divisional sales manager, Mr. J. Cornwall, explained that because more BRS vehicles had been made available and five vehicles had been redeployed from BR Ardwick West depot, the reduction from 15 vehicles to nine had been possible. He confirmed that since the potential traffic would require about 50 vehicles daily, hauliers would maintain their present 16 per cent share of the depot's c. and d. work.
Granting the application for nine vehicles the LA, Mr. C. R. Hodgson-, said there was a sensible spirit of co-operation between BR and individual hauliers.