FOUR TESTS A YEAR?
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A DDRESS1NG members of the 1-1 Southampton area of the London and Home Counties division of the Traders Road Transport Association last week, the guest speaker Mr. G. Page, divisional chairman, said that it was an old advertising maxim that if you told people something often enough they would eventually believe it and he thought that this was what had happened in relation to the goods vehicle image.
On maintenance, he said that the TRTA wanted something more effective than the Government's annual testing scheme, which could only hope to catch out the bad vehicles once a year. The TRTA thought that the most effective way of dealing with maintenance was to have tests at least four times a year, and was in the process of preparing a scheme of its own that would ensure this.
• £1 .8 m. Offer For Duple
nN Monday Duple Motor Bodies Ltd.
announced that a "tentative proposal" had been received from Caravans International Ltd. for their £750,000 Ordinary capital. Agreement has been reached on a price of 10s. per 4s. share, so valuing the equity at £1,875,000. But the Duple board emphasizes that there is at present no binding contract.
Caravans International now claim 55 per cent of all U K caravan sales and 35 per cent of European Sales.
Mr. G. R. White, Duple's managing director, .told The Commercitil Motor on Wednesday that an announcement on the progress Of the offer might be made next week. Should the offer be taken up, Duple's present field of activities was expected to continue, although there was complementary work being .done by both
C 1 and Duple. • •
'Cut Fuel Tax' • A REDUCTION in motor fuel taxa tion. is called for by the Traders Road Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association in a joint memorandum submitted this week to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. James Callaghan.
. IOTA Brains Trust
MANY stimulating questions Were asked at the annual brains trust meeting of the Institute of Traffic Administration at the Hotel Russell, London, on Wednesday.
The panel, chaired by Mr. FL S. Atkins, comprised Lord Lindgren, Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Mr. R. Gresham Cooke, M P, Mr. H. B. Phillips, group road transport manager of Geo. Cohen 600 Group Ltd.. and Mr. R. Butler, of the University of London Extra Mural Department.
ROSS JOIN T A
AT a meeting held in London on Tuesday. Ross Garages Ltd., of Cardiff, were accepted as members of the Transport Association. Company Bus Inquiry Chairman Named THE Minister of Labour, Mr. Ray Gunter, announced on Wednesday that the chairman of the committee of inquiry into the dispute between the two sides of the National Council for the Omnibus Industry is to be Sir Roy Wilson, Q.C., president of the Industrial Court. The other two members will be Mr. C. Henniker-Heaton, director of the British Spinners and Doublers Association, and Mr. A. G. Thomkins, general secretary of the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives, Arrangements for the hearing are to be announced later, LINER TRAIN POLICY rE Government regarded liner trains as an important stage in the modernization of the railways and as an effective part in transport co-ordination, said Lord Lindgren, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, this week.
But when members of the Upper House pressed him to give a view about the unions' attitude towards the service, Lord Lindgren said: "The question of the relationship between a trade union and an employer is entirely one of management, and it is not for a Minister to interfere. Perhaps interference would worsen things rather than improve them."
Adios Cause Concern
CONCERN about the frequency of accidents, caused by the jack-knifing of articulated vehicles was voiced in the Commons this week and Mr. Stephen Swingler, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, agreed that this was a serious problem. The Ministry, he said, was in touch with manufacturers and actively encouraging them to find a solution.
Experiments in braking were also being Carried out, noted Mr. Swingler. and added that he hoped .to have some proposals shortly.
Lay-bys and Safety THE Minister of Transport was urged this week to see that lay-bys on trunk roads were wide enough to ensure that lorry drivers leaving their parked vehicles on the offside would not endanger passing traffic.
Mr. Fraser pointed out that lay-bys were constructed to a width of 10 ft. normally and up to 12 ft. on the more important roads, while lay-bys of lesser width were constructed only on roads which did not carry a substantial volume of heavy traffic. The Highway Code advised drivers to get out on the near side whenever possible, he said.
Buchanan Not To Be Shelved
THE Minister of Transport told M Ps on Wednesday that he did not wish to be guilty of shelving the Buchanan report—he had many reports that his predecessor had been doing so. Surveys were taking place in various towns, he said, and a review was also being made.
The latest bulletin issued by the Ministry to local authorities gave them advice on this subject and a further one would be issued this year, giving guidance on Buchanan principles.
No Interference
THE Ministry of Transport will not take powers to withdraw operating licences from road haulage firms repeatedly convicted for allowing their drivers to work more than the statutory maximum hours, or who allowed their vehicles to operate in a dangerous condition.
The Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that the Licensing Authorities already had power to revoke or suspend the licences of road carriers guilty of serious or repeated safety offences.
Channel Tunnel—Progress On Survey
THE Minister of Transport hopes that the Channel Tunnel survey work on the site will be completed towards the end of this year. Stating this in the Commons last week, he added that some time would then be required to prepare the technical reports.
POINTS FROM PARLIAMENT 'HE. Minister of Transport told M Ps this I. week that he has not yet received all the results of the experiments to find remedies for the problems of rural' transport.
The Ministry intends to make regulations authorizing breakdown vehicles to carry flashing lamps showing an amber light visible from all directions. Mr. Swingler told M Ps. •
When asked what action he would take•when conditions attached by him to his
consent to a withdrawal of railway passenger services were not observed by the bus companies concerned, Mr. Fraser pointed out to his questioner that these conditions were binding on the Railways Board—not on the particular bus companies who might be providing the alternative services.
A call for an independent committee to inquire into the co-ordination of transport services met with no response from Mr. Fraser.
Motorway construction in Britain had fallen behind that of Continental countries in recent years, admitted Mr. Fraser, and our economy had suffered as a result.
Mr. Stephen Swingler was told to "get his skates on" when he said this week that he had no more news about the difficulties met by hauliers through dock delays. The advice came from Mr. T. L. Iremonger (Tory, Ilford North), who said that the Minister's statement was really not good enough.