Could a Weakened Industry Be Acquired for "An Old Song"?
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cRITICISMS concerning the opera
tion of the Government's Haulage Scheme were voiced at last week's meeting of the Transport Section of the Bradford and District Chamber of Trade. It was suggested that, in some cases, greater fuel consumption and tyre . dear were involved in transit of goods partly by road and partly by rail than if carried wholly by road.
The hiring rates under the scheme were the subject of rueful comments. " As I see It," one speaker declared, " the operator's best chance of existence is to receive Government. cornpensation for having all his long-distance vehicles laid up. At the rates for vehicles running, you need only to have a tyre blow-out every six months, or a breakdown, to be out of pocket. I Al6. hope the Ministry will lay up all the vehicles I offer."
. A question concerning the large interests in the industry brought a reply from a member who stated that certain ..big concerns invited to become controlled undertakings maintained their refusal of the terms offered, until the Government ". held a 'pistol to their heads " by inviting a batch of smaller firms to become controlled undertakings. In a number of cases, the speaker added, the invitation was Accepted—in one instance by return of post—and as they were thus being " sidestepped." the larger firms also accepted, Had they not done so, they would have found themselves attached to units smaller. than themselves.
In a discussion on the possible effects
of the scheme on short-distance haulage, fears were voiced that there might be a large influx of long-distance vehicles into short-distance work. It was suggested that if C-licence holders were restricted to the 60-miles radius, by a specific regulation or through fuel control, this would result in a switching to short haulage in cases where C-licensees' Vehicleswere .now doing long-distance work.
Speakers who foreshadowed an early extension of control suggested that the radius for uncontrolled operation would
be reduced to 40 or 30 miles. One, member saids.he thought that the aim • in certain Government .quarters was ultimately to extend control-to all road haulage. with a view to eventual nationalization. His theory was that some political circles cherished the idea that the road haulage industry might be so weakened financially through control that ultimately it could be acquired for "an Old song."