45 . . Per Cent. More
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Goods Vehicles
Licensing Authorities' Reports for 1947-48 Show a Decrease in Public Hauliers, But a Big Increase in Traders' Transport By A. E. Sherlock-Mesher, F.R.S.A, By A. E. Sherlock-Mesher, F.R.S.A,
FROM June. 1938, to December, 1948, the number of licensed goods vehicles in this country rose by 45,' per cent. Only A-licence vehicles showed a drop, although the numbeis of operators holding A and B licences both declined. There was, however, a marked advance in the numbers of operators of C-licence and contract A velicles.
In June. 1938, the total number of licensed vehicles was 513.147, consisting of 83,749 under A licences, 9,467 under contract A licences, 54,906 under B licences, and 365,025 under C licences By December, 1948, the total figure had risen to 746,610. 1 he number of A-licence vehicles had dropped to 74,210, but contract A vehicles had increased to 16,311. B-licence vehicles to 65,573 and C-licence vehicles to 590,516.
During the same period, the ntimber of operators holding
A licences dwindled from 22,999 to 17,120, and the total of B-licensees from 34.120 to 32,390. Holders of contract A licences increased from 3,967 to 6,610 and of C licences from 178,298 to 311,811. Summation of these totals will not, of course, yield the aggregate number. of operators of all types. because some may hold more than one class of licence.
As no vehicles had been vested in the Road Haulage Executive during the period under review, nalibnalization would not explain the drop in the numbers of public carriers and of A-licence veh'cles.
C-Licensees Use 79.11 Per Cent.
An analysis of the distribution of vehicles by licences emphasizes the vital part played by ancillary users in the country's transport system. At December, 1948, 79.11 per cent, of all licensed vehicles were operated by trade and industry. Only 9.93 per cent, ran under A licences, 2.18 per cent. under contract A licences and 8.78 per cent. under
B licences.
The great preponderance of vehicles under 3 tons unladen probably demonstrates the importance to operators of being able to travel legally at 30 m.P.h., and indirectly provides a strong case for increasing the speed limit for rigid vehicles of over 3 tons unladen. Of all the vehicles licensed in December, 1948, 92.3 per cent, had an unladen weight of less than 3 tons.
C-licensees were, of t:ourse, the biggest users of light. vehicles. 95.4 per cent, of their fleets being of the 30 m.p.h. class. It is, perhaps. surprising that as large a percentage as 72.2 of A-licence vehicles, many of whin were engaged on long-distance work, weighed less than 3 tons unladen. Contract A vehicles of under a tons accounted for 75.8 per cent. of the total, and B-licence vehicles 91.4 per cent.
These and other valuable figures-which do not include vehicles run by the Railway Executive-are contained in the Summary Of Annual Reports of the Licensing Authorities for Goods Vehicles, for the year ended September 30, 1948.
c4 The Summary was published, last week, as a Blue Book, by the Stationery Office at Is. It conforms with post-war austerity standards.
By far the largest number of vehicles, and of operators of all classes, is to be found in the Metropolitan Area. The smallest number of vehicles and operators is in South Wales. An accompanying table shows the allocation of vehicles and licences between the 11 traffic areas.
The small number of applications for licences and variations refused is, perhaps, a tribute to the reasonableness of the Licensing Authorities, or operators, or both. An analysis of statistics reveals that 134,926 applications for licences were granted and only 3,430 were refused. Similarly, 18,449 applications for variations were successful and only 756 failed. These figures do not include applications withdrawn.
161 Appeals
During the year ended September 30, 1948, the Appeal Tribunal received 161 appeals, of which 80 were against the refusal of licences. Forty-three of the 161 appeals lodged were allowed, 44 were disallowed, 30 were abandoned and 44 were outstanding at the end of the year. The Western Area was concerned with the' greatest number .of appeals (35). Only five were against decisions reAched in the Eastern Area.
The report states that during the year marked progress was made in the replacement of defence permits by licences. and that the Northern Licensing Authority had completed the conversion. In general, the presentation of cases at public inquiries was satisfactory, although, despite advice on the kind of evidence required, some time-wasting adjournments were necessary to enable applicants to prepare their cases properly.
Some of the Licensing Authorities commented appreciatively on the work of the area road-rail negotiating committees, which, in many instances, caused the withdrawal of objections to applications for licences. During the year a start was made on the re-introduction of ehforcement of the licensing provisions of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, but, in the main, activities were confined to warning operators. Most irregularities concerned drivers' hours and the keeping of records.
"The condition and maintenance of goods vehicles," the Blue Book states, "was, in general, not up to pre-war standards, due mainly to the greater age of the vehicles, which on average have been kept in service longer than was usual before the war, because of the shortage of new vehicles for replacements.: The shortage of materials and spare parts was also a factor, but supplies gradually
improved towards the end of the period." Sonic 93,176
vehicleexaminations were made and 7,299 . notices of prohibition were ksued.
Reference is made to the great assistance afforded by road transport in the handlingofcoal during the difficult conditions of 1947.
The Metropolitan Licensing Authority reported that a number of applications was still being received for licences to authorize the use of motor vehicles in place of horses. Great difficulty was experienced in obtaining satisfactory evidence that horsed vehicles Were used for hire or reward when the Act was passed.
In the Eastern Area, one contract. A licence was revoked and one B licence was suspended for frequent and wilful breaches of conditions. A B licence was also revoked in the South Wales Area.,