UK Consortium for Inland Clearance Depot
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AS forecast in "The Commercial Motor" of June 11, major plans are now progressing for the establishment of a UK consortium to administer a depot providing inland clearance facilities. At a meeting last month convened by the British Shippers' Council agreement in principle was given to the project, which is supported by road, rail and sea transport interests, as well as representatives of the port authorities and shipping and forwarding agents. All classes of containerized goods would be handled by the depot, but the primary object is to facilitate clearance of groupage traffic.
A special sub-committee has been set up by the BSC to consider detailed arrangements for the operation and management of the scheme and drafting of the constitution for the governing consortium. Initial indications are that developments may follow the pattern of the inland clearance centre shortly to be opened near. Genoa by the Rivalta Scrivia company (" The Commercial Motor ", May 28). A further source of guidance is likely to be found in the system used at the "Weser Bahnhof " at Bremen. The launching of the consortium will obviously depend upon the exact extent of the support eventually forthcoming and the ability to acquire a suitable site central to the main flows of traffic to and from the leading ports. The final word rests with Customs and Excise, to whom full plans will be submitted for discussion as soon as possible—probably within two months.
At present the most active supporters of the scheme appear to be the representatives of container operators. For international hauliers—both here and on the Continent—the full benefit of such a development cannot be realized until Customs are prepared to accept the Tilt Convention in its entirety and grant TIR clearance at inland centres.