32
213
(103) The Renfrew County Council refrain from dealing with the major issues of port administration, confining themselves to recommending land reclamation near Langbank to provide housing sites, vehicular ferry com- munication between the Cloch and Dunoon, and the provision of a tunnel at Renfrew Ferry.
(104) The Burgh of Gourock urge the reclamation of Cardwell Bay, and the provision of vehicular ferries between the Cloch and Dunoon or from Gourock to Kilcreggan.
(105) The London Midland & Scottish Railway Company suggest that, in view of its substantial distance from Glasgow and the fact that its primary function in normal times is to cater for the "Short Sea Route "from Stranraer to Larne (by which during 1938 nearly 220,000 passengers were carried), the port of Stranraer should be treated as beyond the scope of the Committee's reference. As regards the Company's railway piers and passenger steamer services, they urge that, as those piers serve a specialised purpose which does not impinge in any way upon other Clyde shipping activities, and as maximum efficiency can only be attained by the closest co-ordination of the requirements of rail, steamer and pier working, no public advantage will be secured by the transfer of the control of the piers to another organisation.
As regards the undertakings at Ayr and Troon, the Company point out the predominant importance at these undertakings of the coal export trade, the close proximity of the coal fields (the minimum rail haul being 5 miles and the maximum 30 miles), and the mutual economic advantages achieved by agreements which have been made with the coal exporting owners for special consolidated dock charges on a low basis. While considering that no change in the existing arrangements as regards these ports is desirable, the Company express their willingness to explore the possibility of co-ordination between Ayr, Troon, Irvine and Ardrossan; though they doubt whether any economy or public advantage could be thereby secured.
The Company offer no objection to the control of navigation, lighting and pilotage being placed under one Authority if it is considered that this would be to the general advantage.
(106) The Ayrshire Coalowners' Association are mainly interested in the ports of Ayr and Troon, and only to a lesser extent in Ardrossan and Irvine. They point out that while Ayr is the most important harbour, Troon has, and is likely in the future to have, a special importance because it can accom- modate larger vessels. In their view the export trade lost by them by reason of the war may reasonably be expected to recover, and, with the progressive exhaustion of the North Ayrshire coalfield and the continued development of the Southern Ayrshire field, the demands upon Ayr and Troon, and especially Ayr, are likely to increase considerably, and to exhaust such reasonably practicable and economic developments as may be envisaged at these harbours.
In that situation the Association place the greatest emphasis upon the need for unified control of coal traffic from colliery to ship, and the continuance of the satisfactory co-operation which has prevailed between the L.M.S. Railway Company and the Ayrshire Coal Trade. So far as Ardrossan and Irvine are concerned, they deprecate any disturbance of existing arrange- ments. So far as Ayr and Troon are concerned they maintain that transfer of the control to any central authority would be productive of serious dis- advantages to the public interest. For the year 1939 the tonnage of coal shipments was
Ayr Troon
Ardrossan Irvine
1,735,360
228,146
171,919
44,610
i
33
214
(107) The London & North Eastern Railway Company concur generally in the views expressed by the London Midland & Scottish Railway Company, and urge improvement in two directions. They consider that, so far as working of the Clyde as a whole is concerned, better facilities are required for direct discharge from ship to rail and direct loading front rail to ship, the present facilities being in their view inadequate and not conducive to ecenomical and expeditious working. They also urge the importance of adequate transit sheds to accommodate cargo which connot be loaded or discharged direct, the insufficiency of such facilities being calculated to lead to detention of wagons and congestion on the quays. These comments are offered by the Company without implying criticism of past policy.
(108) The Lanarkshire Coal Masters' Association, representing practically the whole of the Coal Mining Industry in the Lanarkshire, Dunbartonshire, Stirlingshire and West Lothian Areas, are concerned in shipments of bunker and cargo coal from Glasgow. In their view the facilities at present avail- able are adequate to cope with the volume of shipments at any rate during the more immediate post-war period, and they desire that these facilities should remain in the hands of the Clyde Navigation Trust.
We have already noted that these exports have suffered a serious decline, which may be permanent. (Para. 58.)
(109) The Clyde Shipbuilders' Association are concerned rather with the technical improvement of the Clyde than with the administration of the Port. They stress the need for dry docking facilities of capacity sufficient to take the largest vessels built on the river, naval and mercantile; for a large floating crane and smaller floating cranes to facilitate ship repair work and to augment capacity at the shipbuilding berths and fitting out basins; for four additional berths (two on the north and two on the south side of the river), with the necessary facilities for the fitting out or repair of vessels; and for more effec- tive measures for dealing with oil and sludge at the ends of building berths. They also ask for a remission of inward and outward dues on vessels coming up river solely for repairs, for reduced electricity charges, and for the widening, deepening and straightening of the river channel.
(110) Very similar recommendations are made by the North West Engineering Trades Employers Association, who add a criticism of the inadequacy of the storage accommodation for chilled and frozen cargoes and fruit.
(111) The Scottish Ironmasters Association concentrate upon the urgent need for the improvement of facilities for the handling of imported iron ore, and the scheme at General Terminus to that end referred to in Para. (159). The importance of this matter to the Scottish iron and steel, engineering and shipbuilding industries is strongly emphasised. It is estimated that the volume of imports of ore may rise to 1,500,000 tons per annum in busy times, and that, as the nearer sources of supply are becoming exhausted, the future tendency will be for imports to be brought from greater distances in ships of 10,000 tons. Under pre-war conditions a 10,000 ton ship has been dis- charged in favourable circumstances on the Continent in 14 hours 15 minutes. The best performance at a British port has been 413 hours. At Glasgow the quickest unloading period has been 3 days, and this only by co-ordinated effort. It is suggested that allowing for the conditions on the Clyde, a discharge time of not more than 24 hours ought to be attainable there.
The Association attach the greatest importance to the revival of the General Terminus Scheme by which, with the use of transporter grabs, conveying belts, and a shuttle railway service of trains of 20-ton wagons, it would be possible to handle 10,000 tons per day of 24 hours.
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