R.H.A. TRYING TO KEEP UP LONG-DISTANCE RATES
Page 32

If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
EFFORTS are being made by the Road Haulage Association to arrest the decline in long-distance haulage rates. That is one of the primary objects of the interim long-distance hauliers' committee set up by the Association,
At least seven of the 15 areas of the R.H.A. have now taken steps to establish local committees of long-distance hauliers to support the national committee. They are the Yorkshire (West Riding), Yorkshire (Hull), East Midland, Metropolitan and South Eastern, Western, Scottish and North Western (Eastern) Areas.
. Members of the new North-Western (Eastern) committee are Mr. W. Allen (W. Allen [1953], Ltd., Manchester), Mr. A. Cusick (Cusick [Oldham], Ltd., Manchester), Mr. R. W. Rouse (Smiths of Eccles, Ltd., Manchester), Mr. J. Holden (J. Holden, Jr., Ltd., Manchester), Mr. F. Snaylam (F. Snaylam, Ltd„ Bolton), Mr. W. Blamire (Preston), Mr. H. Hague (Hague Transport, Ltd., Preston), Mr. F. Hall (Fearings Traitsport, Ltd., Burnley), Mr. B. Harwood (H. Harwood, Ltcf., Darvven), Mr. C. H. Palim (Harris Road Services, Ltd., Northwich), and Mr. J. Hindle (Jacks Motors, Ltd., Blackburn).
It is not proposed at the moment to form a separate long-distance hauliers' section: The creation of more specialized groups of members is regarded as undesirable.
One of the terms of reference of the new committees is "to establish the
closest possible co-operation between hauliers substantially engaged in the long-distance carriage of general merchandise." This definition excludes operators who handle specialized traffic, such as bulk liquids, livestock, meat or abnormal indivisible loads, for whom functional groups already exist. The term " long-distance " is not defined.
Another aim is to promote interworking, including the provision of terminal services, and to stabilize rates.
Good progress is being made with the compilation of a national gazetteer of long-distance services. It is hoped that the first edition will be published on January 1, next, and it will be revised annually. Entries will appear under town headings, arranged alphabetically, and will show the facilities offered and the districts (counties) served. The cost is to be defrayed by hauliers whose entries are published.