CHEAPEP 3Y AIR?
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Not Always at Present But What About the Future ?
EVEN before Britain's application to join the Common Market, many haulage operators in this country must have realized that their business might one day grow wings. Although there are arguments against the future of moving goods by air, they are arguments which time and the mechanical sciences dispel. One cannot, of course, foresee in 1961 an age in which even long-distance road transport will have become redundant. But the decade in which it will be either competing against or integrating with air transport, even domestically, is clearly visible to anyone who takes the trouble to look at the pace and type of technical developments in flying machinery, or at the present cost of moving goods by air.
A senior executive of Silver City Airways, said in arguing against the Channel tunnel: "Long term forecasts indicate that within two decades air freighting will be cheaper for most commodities than rail or road freighting. With the major battle between air and sea, the tunnel and bridge users can be expected to diminish..!
The growth of air-freighting to even its present level has been one of the commercial wonders of the post-war world.' Europe has lagged some way behind the younger contin ents; partly through lack of enterprise, mainly because of conditions from which the advantages of air-freighting (applicable to, say, America) are not so easily derived.
But most experts are now certain that the Common Market will turn a fast trot into a gallop, particularly so far as Britain is concerned.
The beginnings of air-freighting or air-ferrying in this country are interesting, in that they arose almost by chance. In 1946 British Miation Services, a year-old company designed to provide technical aviation services, and the Zinc Corporation arranged a marriage out of which was born Silver City Airways. For two years this infant's function was to transport around the international mining world Zinc Corporation technicians, plus a certain amount of charter work. The name, Silver City, came from the Australian lead and zinc mining town of Broken Hill, still known to all Australians as Silver City in respect of its 19th century silver mines.
World Airlines Reorganized
By 1948 the world airlines had reorganized and air passenger travel presented no problems. The Zinc Corporation no longer needed a private airline and sold out to British Aviation Services, the company retaining its original share capital of £120,000.
In 1947 Silver City took part in the airlift of Hindus from Pakistan and Moslems from India arising from India's partition. One of the aircraft used was a Bristol 170 Wayfarer. Basically a cargo carrier, it set up a record by carrying 1,105 passengers in nine days. This was Silver City's first introduction to the aeroplane with which they were going to create a corridor across the English Channel.
The idea of a cross-Channel service came about as the result of Bristol's asking Silver City, then in business simply on charter work, whether they could find use for a second Wayfarer. •
The First Flight The first flight took place on July 7, 1948, between Lympne, in Kent, and Le Touquet, in France. These two airports were chosen because they were the closest together on opposite sides of the Channel-47 miles apart, in fact.
Twenty minutes after take-off on this first flight, Silver City's managing director's car was safely deposited in France. No plans for the return had been made.
Then, out of the blue, came a fare-paying passenger–an Englishman flying home who wanted his Bentley immediately on arrival. Plans had been made for it to be sent via Calais-Dover. Within a few minutes Silver City had arranged to fly it back with the managing director's car. It was a tight fit, but it worked—and the company had earned £30.
A week,later the first commercial service was flown, due to civil aviation requirements on a charter basis. Ten months later the Ministry of Civil Aviation usurped the State airlines' almost complete monopoly of all scheduled air services by permitting Silver City to operate for one year as a scheduled car ferry service. In that year. 2.600 cars, 100 motorcycles and 7,900 passengers were flown across the Channel in three Bristols hired from the makers —at £32 for a big car, £27 for a small car.
In 1950 the Ministry licence was renewed for two years, fares were cut, traffic increased. In 1951 there were more 'fare cuts, a year-round service was introduced. So was freighting. Two thousand beef cattle were flown to France. Silver City Were in business on the grand scale.
Today, of course, the company and its name remain synonymous with car-ferrying. Continuous fare-cutting, streamlining of the ferrying process, establishment of the company's own airport (Ferryfielcl), new aircraft and full official blessing have produced enormous traffic in this sphere-42,500 flights, carrying some 95,000 cars and 242,000 passengers in 1961.
Impressive Growth
But along with the transport of holiday-makers and business people and their cars to the Continent has grown an air cargo service of equally impressive proportions. A service, furthermore, which most modern competitors would probably admit initiated what is fast becoming an industry in its own right.
At the present time Silver City operate four ferry routes to the Continent. These are: Lydd (Ferryfield)—Le Touquet; Lydd—Calais; Lydd—Ostend; and HurnCherbourg. Additionally routes are operated from Humn to the Channel Isles, and from the Channel Isles to Cherbourg.
The company's air freighting is called the " Roadair " cll service. It was established on a scheduled basis in late 1955, with a London-Paris tie-up. Gradually Roadair has been expanded; today France and Belgium are served via the Lydd-Le Touquet and Lydd-Ostend air routes and an integrated road transport network. General freight tonnage has risen consistently, from 4,172 tons in 1958 to 6,492 in 1960 and 9,558 in 1961.
Today, Silver City claim to carry one in four of all cars crossing to France, and that they now lift more freight tonnage than any other independent airline in the world. Total freight uplifted in 1961 at 145,245 tons (including ferried vehicles), would seem to bear this out.
The Roadair system is basically a depot-to-depot service. To date the company has not entered the field of road transport to the degree necessary to provide a comprehensive collection and delivery service, either in Britain or on the Continent.
Soon after the establishment of Roadair, a London depot was established on the southern adjunct to Chelsea Bridge. In June, 1961, a link was made for a through service to serve the industrial Midlands, particularly the motor industry, a Roadair depot being operated in Coventry by Morton's (Coventry), Ltd., a road haulage company.
On the other side of the Channel the main cargo depots are operated in Palls by E.R.B. Freres and in Tourcouing by Verpraet Patax et Cie. The service to Belgium is now operated direct from Ostend (Middlekerke airport).
From either the airports or the main depots on the Continent, feeder services are in operation to Lille and Roubaix in France and to Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Courtrai in Belgium. Cherbourg is served direct from Hum, as are the Channel Islands. Calais is served from Ferryfield.
There are cargo booking offices at Silver City headquarters at 62 Brompton Road, London, S.W.3, at Ferryfield, Hum, Le Tourpiet, Calais; Cherbourg, Ostend, Jersey and Guernsey airports; and at Paris, Lille, Ghent and Antwerp.
As indicated, Silver City do not operate a national collection-delivery service, either themselves or through close association with small carriers, particularly on the main routes. Customers generally make their own arrangements for delivery to and collection from Roadair depots through forwarding agents.
The advantages of sending goods by air, in addition to the major asset of speed, are well known: limited or no packing, low insurance premiums; careful handling and a reduced tisk of pilfering.
What sort of rates are Silver City, pioneers of the system, able to offer today?
On the U.K.-France service the minimum charge per consignment is £2. Air cargo rates are Ferryfield-Le Touquet, 34d. per kilo; Ferryfield-Calais, 44d. per kilo; Hurn-Cherbourg, 61d. per kilo. Full Roadair rates range from 44-d. per kilo (minimum per consignment £2 10s.) on Ferryfield-Paris to 54d. (£3) on _Brighton, Lille, Roubaix or Tourcouing (where goods are collected/delivered domicile for these towns only). The London-Paris rate is 44d. (E3 minimum).
The U.K.-Belgium rates are, of course, considerably higher. Basic Lydd-Ostend air charge is 61c1., per kilo (minimum £2). London-Ostend Roadair rate is 7d. (£2 10s. minimum). London-Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent or Courtrai is 10d. (£4 minimum-over 1,000 kilos 74d. per kilo), but the rate from Ferryfield to these centres, cutting out the London-Lydd road journey, is Id. cheaper with a £3 10s. minimum. All rates quoted are for collection/delivery domicile in the Belgian towns (except Ostend).
On the Coventry service rates_ per kilo are: Paris 54d. (£3 10s. min.); Lille, Roubaix, Tourcouing, 6d. (3 los. min.); Calais, 6d. (£3 min.); Le Touquet. 5d. g3 min.); Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Courtrai, 11d. (£4 10s. min.); Ostend, 8d. (£3 min.); Jersey or Guernsey, under 45 kilos, lid., over 45 kilos, 9d. al 7s. 6d. min.).
On the Hum-Channel Islands service a number of special commodity rates apply, but the basic rate is 9d. per kilo and over 45 kilos 5d. per kilo, with a 7s. 6d. minimum consignment. A London-Hum n road service operates in which the charge is Id. per mile with a 10s. minimum.
All these rates are calculated on the basis that the volumetric measurement does not exceed 4 cu. m. (141 cu. ft.) per 1,000 kilos. , A special rate is charged if it does. Consignments of over 4,000 kilos are collected and delivered in London and Paris postal areas without extra cost.
Insurance rates on the U.K.-France service are Is. per £100 value on an overall distance under 300 miles, Is. 6d. over 300 but under 1,000 miles, with _a special fragile articles cover at 6s. 6d. per £100 value under 1,000 miles.
Just how expensive-or cheap-are these rates, compared with surface transport? Any specific comparison is of course impossible, simply because of the time factor " -the major advantage of air transport.
Nevertheless, the following figures may be of academic interest. Silver City's rate per ton fOr London-Paris, the " cheapest " of the Roadair services, is £19 Is. 44d., exclusive of insurance or any volumetric considerations. The Coventry-Brussels rate is 136 Os. 44d.
Comparative Rates
Comparative road-sea rates given to me last week by a major haulage contractor are: London-Paris, £22 per ton; Coventry-Brussels, £17 per ton, for a comprehensive no-packing, no transhipment service, but excluding certain minor incidentals.
As mentioned previously, however, the great advantage of air transport is its speed. How quick is it, in terms of Silver City's Roadair service?
The U.K.-France service operates on a five-day MondayFriday schedule. Thus, a consignment departing from London at 2 p.m. arrives in Le Touquet 12 hours later, , in Paris or Lille 43 hours later.' The service to Belgium is operated.Monday and Wednesday for arrival next day at Ostend airport, 48 hours later at other towns.. .*
From Coventry a five-day service is operated to France, on a 44-hour schedule to Le Touquet and 2+ days to Paris or Lille. Coventry-Belgium is operated Tuesday and Fridays, -and is delivered town centres within 2+ days.
For what the comparison is worth, the haulage contractor previously referred to quoted road-sea a three-five-day schedule for London-Paris and much the same for Coventry-Brussels.
From these figures it is _likely that, whatever side of the fence the reader sits on at present, he will be able to see at least why it is that the Roadair service has proved, so successful, and why other newer road-air-freighting concerns have become so quickly established.
He may see even more. He may see the day when, come the entry of Britain into the Common: Market and the commercial development of the hovercraft, he will literally be swept off his feet?