Licence sought for illegally operated trucks
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• A B-licence application by James Anderson and King Ltd., Glasgow, for authorization to operate six dump trucks was adjourned by the Scottish LA, Mr. A. B. Birnie, in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Duncan Mair, a site agent with the applicant company, said the dump trucks were now in use; they were a new and special type suitable for muck shifting and were more efficient ano more manoeuvrable than ordinary lorries. Mr. Mair said that all the machines had been bought about eight months ago. They were now taking the place of ordinary tippers Mr. A. H. McAlpine, company secretary, said that since the trucks had arrived they had been used for 50 per cent of the time.
Mr. J. Risk, for Anderson and King, suggested that the switch to these machines was equivalent to moving from horsedrawn to mechanical transport.
He added that the Company was prepared to hire out the new trucks which had now been approved by the Board of Trade and qualified for investment grants. The Company had been approached by others for their use but he denied that the machines had already been hired out; they were now working to capacity. When the firm was slack on road work it would be prepared to hire out to other contractors who were busy.
"Surely when you bought these trucks you intended to use them yourselves all the year round?" asked Mr. R. McKenzie, for the objectors. Mr. McAlpine replied: "No, we envisaged the need by other firms for them as had happened with our tippers." He said that they had spent about £200 on tipper hire in recent months. Questioned by the LA he said the trucks had not been fully utilized in the past eight months with the possible exception of a two-month period.
Mr. Frank Jamieson, of Wood and Stewart, Glasgow, said his company had site work in Lanarkshire where there was a shortage of dumpers which would increase in the months to come. It would be more economical to hire the new vehicles than tippers.
His firm had no road trucks, only two dumpers. He disagreed that there was no more work going on in the area than a year ago; sales figures for earthmoving equipment had increased considerably. He also disagreed that drivers were often laid off during the winter months when work became slacker. January had been much busier then October and November.
Mr. Jamieson said he had used the new trucks on a Glasgow site for several months. He had not hired the vehicles but had got Anderson and King to do the work for him.
A. McGregor, contractor, said he would be prepared to hire the trucks, which were more suitable for muck shifting than his own vehicles. In reply to Mr. Risk he said he had used another firm's tippers but he could also use the new trucks. He disagreed with Mr. McKenzie that the other firm's tippers carried more.
Mr. Matthew Walker. of Duncan Logan Construction. told the LA he had had trouble in hiring only this week. He couldn't get enough vehicles and claimed that the new dumpers were ideal for his work. He would be prepared to hire all six vehicles.
The LA regretted that the vehicles had been unlawfully used during last autumn and this had to be taken into account. He wanted to know how these six vehicles had been used over the past eight months and adjourned the inquiry so that such information could be supplied.