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148 
B.R.S. Taste Their Own Medicine : Close Questioning by Objectors
Page 43
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FROM OUR OWN REPRESENTATIVE
WITNESSE,S supporting an application by British Road Services before Mr. Idris Owen, South Wales Licensing Authority, last
week underwent close cross-examination. Local hauliers were treating the British Transport Commission to some of their own medicine, for the B.T.C. policy is strongly to contest South Wales hauliers' applications for additional vehicles, although industry in the area is expanding.
The Cardiff branch of B.R.S. sought to add 10 articulated outfits, not exceeding 90 tons unladen, to their A licence with a normal user of "general goods, Great Britain." Mr. J. R. C. Samuel-Gibbon, for B.R.S., who said that there were 101 vehicles with a carrying capacity of 1,1831 tons at Cardiff, claimed that during the past six months traffic had increased so much that they could not deal with it.
The maintenance programme was falling behind. Some 26 vehicles were overdue for maintenance by the end of 1959. The depot was now still further in arrears.
Vehicle revenue had increased from £413,735 in 1958 to £435,568 in 1959. Tonnage rose by 10,891 and mileage by 238,349. During the first quarter of 1960, there was a new rise of 9.5 per cent.
More Spent on Hiring The cost of hiring B.R.S. foreign-based vehicles had increased from £119,000 to £127,000. Sub-contracting to independent hauliers had risen in value from £8,310 to £10,077. Vehicles had been off the road for maintenance for 2,714 days in 1959, which was inadequate, argued Mr. Samuel-Gibbon.
Questioned by Mr. T. D. Corpe, for eight independent objectors, Mr. C. Lewis, Cardiff branch manager, agreed that since the application was lodged in March, B.R.S. had continued to object to applications by independent hauliers on the ground that grants would cause an excess of facilities. He added that he did not know why British Railways were not objecting, although he agreed that the excess traffic would be suitable for them.
So far as he knew, there were no longer any delicensed vehicles of B.R.S. in South Wales. Although there were 11 customer witnesses, the main customers of B.R.S., Guest, Keen and Nettkfolds, Ltd., were not represented.
Mr. Corpe submitted that B.R.S. had admitted, on the 1958 figures which showed average earnings of £4,137 per vehicle, that the fleet was not fully occupied. Indeed, schedules of availability were produced in support of objections, he observed. The 1959 increase produced an average of only £4,355 per vehicle, figures which barely indicated full use of the fleet.
At a recent application by Ross Garages, Ltd., who showed earnings of £7,000 per vehicle, B.R.S. had still pursued their objection to a grant of additional vehicles. Therefore, he claimed, an increase of 10 vehicles could not possibly be justified on a figure of only £4,355.
.Mr. Lewis replied that although there were 46 eight-wheelers at the Cardiff depot, there were also many small collection and delivery vehicles. The figures of earnings were an average.
After hearing 11 witnesses, including representatives of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., the Distillers Co., Ltd., Renold Chains, Ltd., and General Transit Services, Ltd., all of whom spoke of difficulties and delays. Mr. Owen reserved his decision.
LICENCE CHARGES REFUTED
CHARGES of operating a public —*service between Forres and Elgin, without holding a road service licence, were refuted by Mr. Frederick Simpson and Mr. Peter Simpson, Union Street, Roxhearty, at Elgin last week.
Mr. C. Macrae, for the operators, told Sheriff D. A. Guild, that the vehicle in question had been used on contract work. He claimed that no licence was required. No fares had been paid, Simpsons had received a fixed rate from the proprietor of a ballroom.
Decision was reserved.