Stop kissing babies
Page 4
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WE appear to be seeing and hearing more of Bill Rodgers at the moment. His acceptance of the invitation to open the RTITB's new skills centre at Greenford last week caused mild surprise. The following day he was boldly telling fellow MPs that he wanted to see an extension of the public sector in transport. Last week he gave £35m to -help" the dockers.
On Monday he was holding forth on the safety standards of road tankers. He wants better materials, better driving, better inspection,rnore enforcement. All excellent stuff on the run-up to an election and sure to keep a Minister in the public eye during Parliamentary recess..
However, bigger issues and more important matters face the Secretary of State on his return. The tachograph confrontation with Luxembourg or the TGWU cannot be long delayed. The drivers' hours mess has to be tidied up, the psv licensing system requires early examination and by November there could be a major disruption over the five per cent guidelines. Claims of 20-30 per cent are already being formulated in the West Midlands. Whoever occupies the ministerial suite at Marsham Towers in the autumn will have to stop kissing babies in the High Street and grasp a few nettles.
Bill Rodgers early caution until he knew the job was commendable. We now need a strong ministerial presence both here and in Brussels.