Equality on Renewal
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
WITH the expiry this month of the free A licences granted to British Road Services, the• attitude to be adopted by the State road haulage undertaking-. in seeking renewals becomes of urgent importance. An indication of the line to be taken was given last week when the Northern Licensing Authority heard applications by B.R.S. (Parcels), Ltd., for the renewal of free A licences in respect of four depots and for the substitution of three slightly heavier vehicles for three existing outfits.
Perhaps, not unnaturally. B.R.S. sought to obtain on renewal a normal user of "general goods," although limited to specified destinations. This definition was resisted by 20 members of the Road Haulage Association, who treated the applications as a test case.
B.R.S. Modify Normal User B.R.S. then agreed to change the description to "parcels and smalls" and the objectors withdrew. The applications were granted, except in the case of one to which additions to the destinations already specified were sought. This application will be published afresh.
This readiness on the part of B.R.S. (Parcels) to retreat from "general goods" had a precedent last month when B.R.S. (Pickfords), Ltd., sought to replace a vehicle and claimed the normal user "General goods, Great Britain." In the face of opposition they agreed to a definition, "Furniture and household effects, Great Britain," which the North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority accepted. An attempt to restrict them to specified destinations failed.
In the absence of agreement with the R.H.A., B.R.S. will obviously aim at the widest possible normal user. Their applications for renewals must be closely scrutinized and opposed if the terms "general goods" and "Great Britain" appear to be too wide. If the liaison machinery existing between B.R.S. and the R.H.A. on licensing matters were more effective, public dispute and the expense of objections might be avoided.
The Licensing Authorities require hauliers to express their normal user explicitly and "General goods, Great Britain" is no longer freely accepted. "Parcels. and smalls" is obviously a more precise definition of the .traffic handled by B.R.S. (Parcels) and "furniture and household effects" describes more accurately the goods carried by the furniture-removal section of Pickfords. In neither case is "general goods" justified and there is no difficulty in finding a suitable definition.
Indeed, in their advice to holders of special A licences seeking renewals, the Licensing Authorities have pointed out that the fact that normal user did not have to be specified to obtain the original licence is no ground for inserting" General goods, Great Britain-" on the renewal application form. In this respect there can be no difference between the free A licences granted in 1953 to B.R.S. and the special A licences that accompanied vehicles sold by the State undertaking on denationalization.
Moreover, like the private-enterprise holders of special A licences, B.R.S. must be required to confirm that operations have been conducted from the bases specified in their applications, or, where a change of base is desired, to give reasons in justification. As some vehicles are switched from base to base, B.R.S. may be in difficulty, but the information must be given if the Licensing Authorities are to continue to exercise proper control over licensing.
As in the case of independent hauliers, B.R.S. must also produce certified monthly figures for at least 12 months of tonnage carried, mileage covered, gross earnings and amounts paid to sub-contractors.
Vehicles Laid Up In objecting to applications by hauliers for additional tonnage, B.R.S. have on various occasions claimed that they had vehicles laid up. There must consequently be in certain areas a surplus of licensed tonnage which requires to be investigated. Licences should not be renewed for vehicles that have not been reasonably fully employed.
It is significant that in the cases heard before both the Northern Licensing Authority and North-Western Deputy Licensing Authority, the applicants did not produce figures as evidence of need for the replacement of vehicles on free A licences by slightly heavier units on ordinary A licences. The Transport Tribupal require such information from hauliers who, in similar circumstances, seek to substitute lorries run under special A licences. B.R.S. and free-enterprise hauliers should clearly be treated alike.