§ 58. Captain Stricklandasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether he is aware that 1546 on 6th December last a load of 80 tons of wire was awaiting transport from Woolwich to Manchester; that 10 road vehicles with a carrying capacity of 83 tons were available at Bermondsey awaiting return loads to Manchester on that day; that application made to use these vehicles for the load was refused and the 10 vehicles returned empty to Manchester on 7th December; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure a more economical use of road transport under Government control?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI understand that this traffic, which was rejected material and of no special urgency, passed by rail. My hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that the flow of traffic between particular towns is often and inevitably unbalanced, involving empty running by road or rail, or by both.
§ Captain StricklandWhen it is known that this load is available and that vehicles are going to run 1,830 unloaded miles in order to return to their base, and when the vehicles are there and it means the waste of 300 gallons of petrol, why cannot the road transport do something?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIt is also known that the railway wagons were available and happened to be returning to that destination and that these would have traveled unloaded, but I have the pre-occupation with which my hon. and gallant Friend is concerned very much in mind and I am watching the position very closely and want to reduce the empty running as much as possible.