Serious Menace to Long-distance Haulage
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MATIONAL action concerning, what 1 he termed, a serious position relating to road-transport insurance, was urged by Mr. Arthur R. Jones to the Commercial Motor Users' Association, at the annual meeting of the C.M.U.A.'s North-Eastern Division, in Leeds, last week. Councillor Charles Holdsworth, of Halifax, who was elected for a second successive year of office as chair man of the Division, presided. , Mr. Jones said that he viewed with alarm the attitude of tariff and nontariff insurance companies, as to insurance in respect of A-lioence vehicles employed on long-distance haulage. The companies were refusing to quote terms for such hagardous insurance business as that in respect of long-distance night haulage, because of the losses in which they were, being involved through the heavy damages awarded in the courts–for third-party injuries in road accident cases, in which the heavier types of commercial vehicle e44 were involved with private cars. As a result of this refusal, there were road-haulage vehicles which could pot go on the road because insurance cover could not be obtained for them, although their owners had reasonable claims records.
Steps should be taken, he urged, to ensure that, as all road-transport operators were compelled, by legislation, to take out third-party insurance, it should be available at reasonable fates to all operators, without discrimination as between one class of operator and another. The position was so serious that it might even be necessary to consider the formation of an insurance company by road operators themselves. Certainly, the Matter should be taken up nationally, and he considered that it ought to be raised in the House of Commons. In the 'meantime; he suggested that the Division should set up a committee to consider the situation.
Mr. L. J. Mather (Leeds) and Mr.
R. E. Clough (Bradford) were reelected vice-chairmen of the Division. Other elections included:— Representatives on the National Council: Messrs. J. France (Slaithwaite) and J. Newton (York), representing A and B-licence holders; Messrs. J. Bullock (Wakefield) and L. J. Mather (Leeds), representing passenger operators; and Messrs. R. E. Clough (Bradford) and Walter Holdsworth (Leeds), representing ancillary users.
Representatives of the National Sectional Boards: Haulage, Messrs. J. France, j. Newton, W. L. Dees (Hull) and Councillor Charles Holdsworth; Passenger, Messrs. J. Bullock, L. J. Mather, A. Feather (Bradford), and S. E. Everingharn (Pocklington); . Ancillary, Messrs.. R E. Clough, Walter Holdsworth, A. Roberts, (Heckmondwike), and E. J„ Chamberlain (Huddersfield).