R.H.A. Backs "Master Group" Plan Names of Four New Groups
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Submitted to Registrar of Companies, and Plans for Others being Developed
WHEN the Birmingham Road HaulVV age Group, Ltd.. was formed some years ago, its members comprised a section of the local hauliers who agreed to co-operate in the handling of surpluses. Later the company extended its scope to become a traffic distributor, and accepted traffic direct from industry, or 'the Ministry of Transport. for breaking up and dispersal to individual hauliers.
The group has the support of the West Midland Area of the Road, Haulage Association, and since the Transport Act, 1947, was passed, has openly been regarded by the Association as providing a pattern which could profitably be copied when further groups were formed and when, eventually, a group system came to be developed.
New Groups
It has now become known that the names of four new groups, based on Coventry, Wolverhampton, the Stratford-Warwick-Leamington area and Shropshire, have been submitted to the Registrar of Companies and that plans for the formation of grdups in Worcester, Hereford, Stoke and Stafford are maturing.
In addition, it is hoped that an agreement will be reached with Pool Transport, Ltd., West Bromwich, and Associated Hauliers (Dudley), Ltd., by which their articles in respect of general principles will be brought into line with the constitution of the other groups.
In various public speeches of late it has been emphasized that the R.H.A. and the Road Transport Executive have joint interests, and as the group organization will owe much of its strength and influence to the West Midland Area of the R.H.A.„ these statements are significant.
Freedom of Action
The constitution of the groups will be such that no member can be debarred from accepting traffic direct, . the essential principle underlying their conception being that freedom of mtion may, when the necessity arises, be combined with an agreed line of co-operative action, either to meet a requirement or to provide a fully representative negotiating body.
In this way it is hoped that the " free " haulier will remain indispensable to industry, because he can offer an efficient service which is readily expansible in response to critical demands. without there being the necessity of providing standby vehicles at normal times. Whilst there will be no monopolistic board and no unification of capital, the. R.T.E. should welcome the liaison facilities which this group organization will offer.
Any Aor B-licence holder will have the right to take shares in, and so automatically to become a member of, his area group. Every shareholding will be limited to a stipulated maximum and minimum investment.
Each area group will nominate two directors to the "master group," a nonn28
trading company, which will probably be called "The Associated Transport and Trading Group (West Midland), Ltd.," and be formed early this year.
The first public reference to the formation of further groups was made
on the occasion of the annual dance of the Coventry area of the R.H.A. on December 21 by Mr. A. Rutty, chairman of the Birmingham Area Committee, after announcing the opening of the new Birmingham Area office, at Roadway House, 536, Stratford Road. Sparkhill, Birmingham, 11.
Mr. Rutty followed Mr. J. Foley Egington, WestMidland Deputy Licensing Authority, who stressed the usefulness of the R.H.A., both to the Licensing Authorities and to the Ministry of Transport.