Standard Lorries for Drivers' Final Contest
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A RADICAL change in-the arrangements for the Lorry. Driver of the Year Competition was made last week by the national organizing committee at a meeting in Coventry.
Drivers will continue to compete in their own vehicles in the local. rounds and in the heats in the final, but class winners in the heats who go on to compete for the title, Lorry Driver of the Year, will drive one of two standard vehicles. These will be a 14-ton-gross four-wheeler or an articulated outfit., according to the class in which the contestant entered.
International Flavour
This will bring the procedure more into line with that of the international competition, in which certain successful 'contestants in the British competition
will take .part. Nevertheless, Mr. Gilbert Lesage, representative in Britain , of Les Routiers, promqters of the inter
• national competition, said at the Coventry meeting that in future his organization might abandon the principle of having only two standard vehicles (supplied by Unic). Berliet and
• Renault, he said, had also offered vehicles.
On the question of who should supply the lorries for the British final competition, which is again proposed to be held at Bramcote next year, Mr. Mervyn.J. Miles, secretary of the committee, reported that the ,British Motor Corporation had offered to provide two vehicles and contribute £250 towards the expenses of the competition. Mr. G. MacAulay (Ministry of Works) said that Rootes were also willing to supply two vehicles.
Makers of suitable vehicles' are to be asked whether they are willing to provide vehicles and financial help and the oiler of the highest bidder will be accepted.
Throughout the meeting the importance of funds was emphasized. This ,year's competition was run at a loss.
No New Centres Yet
No further progress has been made in the creation of new eliminating ,centres, but at a meeting last week between representatives of the, Road Haulage Association, Traders' Road Transport Association, and the Royal Society for the Prevention.of Accidents. it was agreed that centres would be selected at which the two Associations could give the most help. Ro.S.P.A. will act as the co-ordinating body. Another meeting between the three organiza, lions will be held.
It was reported at Coventry that the Southend area of the T.R.T.A. wished to organize an eliminating round and that the Essex police were interested. It was thought also that a round would. be held in Birminnharn, next year.
Organizations wishing to set up new eliminating centres must notify the national committee by March 30 next.
In future, members of the Services will be segregated from civilians and will compete with each other in 3-ton G.S. trucks. Successful competitors will be eligible to take part in the final.
A sub-committee of the national committee is overhauling the regulations. Work began last week and will be continued on December 5, when the national committee will also meet again A sub-committee has been appointed to deal with the international competition.
The four members are Mr. G. MacAulay, Mr. J. Patience, Cllr. R. W. Brain and Mr. M. J. Miles. Lord Merrivale has been co-opted to liaise with the organizers of the competition. Mr. E. Jury, Lorry Driver of the Year for 1956, may be called upon to serve as a technical adviser to the subcommittee.
Next month, the sub-committee will have their first meeting with M. Bernard Boldi, organizer of the French contest, who is to visit this country to seek expert opinions on the form that the tests in the international event should take.