Another Win On Haulage Rates
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1-NN December 1, the Forest of .Dean %--/Collieries applied to Sir A. T. V. Robinson, R.T.,C., South Western Region, for a decision as to whether charges for—the carriage of coal in
• October, 1942, amounting to £800, made against them by Messrs. Rossiter and James and eight other hauliers, conformed to the conditions of para. 2 of the Road Haulage and Hire (Charges) Order, 1942.
Mr. II. Norman Letts,' for the hauliers, said that the rates charged rested on no scientific basis. An earlier schedule, negotiated in September, 1937, represented rough variations from the nearest comparable railway .rates. To this bad been added 10 per cent. in December, 1939, 10 per cent. .in July, 1940, and 15 per cent. in July, 1941—a total of 35 per cent.
All coal was hand-loaded and two men had to be employed with each vehicle. There were serious delays at the larger collieries and at certain discharging points, the latter often involving waits of one to three hours. Ins:nasty cases, vehicles had to travel some distance over unmade roads.
The Commissioner said he had some doubt about 'a few individual items for the shorter hauls, but, taking the • evidence as a whole, he did not feel justified in directing that any other charges should be substituted for those in the accounts subinitted. Hq advised, however, closer attention to the importance of waiting-time in the costs. All parties concerned should give careful consideration to the pos. sibility of separating the charge for this, to provide an incentive, in the interest of national economy, to reduce .such delays to a minimum.