B.R.S. Must Not Switch Vehicles Without Good Reason
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MR. W. P. JAMES, West Midland Licensing Authority, at Birmingham on Tuesday, told British Road Services that they must keep their vehicles at the base for which they were licensed unless they could satisfy the Licensing Authority there was a good reason for moving them. Movements by reason of fluctuation of traffic, if not supervised, could well mean that other operators would suffer.
B.R.S. applied for variations of A licences for six depots in the Birmingham district. Mr. R. D. Webb, for the applicants, said their object was threefold— to exchange vehicles between depots to meet operational needs, to replace old lorries by new ones, and to dispense with additional unlicensed vehicles retained under the 1956 Act.
The future policy of the Birmingham district was to manage with their licensed fleet and no vehicles would be held for substitution purposes. The ultimate result would be to reduce the present vehicle strength of 348 and 121 trailers by one vehicle and one trailer, and to decrease the total carrying capacity.
Variations included the transfer of all B.R.S. vehicles from the Tyburn Road depot, which would in future be operated by B.R.S. (Contracts), Ltd. It was also proposed to move 43 vehicles from Dudley because of subsidence at the depot, whice called for additional Alicence vehicles at Cheapside, Rumford Bridge, and Wordsley.
Mr. James pointed out that the moving of vehicles between bases was important. Licences were granted on the strength of work to be performed from a particular base, and the Licensing Authority must first be satisfied there was a need if vehicles were to be added. Referring to the application for the Wordsley depot, he said B.R.S. were asking for an increase from 22 to 25 vehicles, yet their figures were lower, despite the inclusion of 10 Dudley vehicles since July.
It was suggested that the figures were distorted by the previous use of vehicles from the Wolverhampton base. Before he could reach a decision Mr. James required separate figures showing what the vehicles licensed at Wordsley had done. The remainder of the application was granted. • NEW MERSEY LINK?
AN observer from the Ministry of Transport was present when representatives of nine local authorities discussed at Liverpool, on Tuesday, the question of providing and financing a new River Mersey bridge or tunnel. The meeting passed a resolution that there was a prima facie case for investigation and that immediate steps should be taken to obtain the necessary preliminary expert advice.
The meeting was called by the Mersey Tunnel Joint Committee, as a result of a suggestion by the Minister of Transport in November. He then told the committee that there was little hope of providing a new cross-river link between Liverpool and Wirral for a number of years.
TANKER EXPLODES DAMAGE estimated at £10,000 was caused at the Heckmondwike depot of Harold Wood and Sons, Ltd., bulk liquid transporters, when the 4,000-gallon tank on an eight-wheeler exploded on Monday. Two men, who were working on the tanker, were seriously hurt, and a large hole was blasted in the asbestos roof of the building.