Lorries rule 0 K, say. RHA
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by CM reporter ROAD HAULAGE rules the roost on the British goods distribution scheme — and the Government should leave well enough alone.
This warning came this week from the Road Haulage Association, which told the Secretary of State for the Environment, Mr Anthony Crosland, and the Minister for Transport, Dr John Gilbert, that the key role of the lorry should be the central factor in deciding future transport policy.
A consultation paper is expected in the next few weeks on the Government's transport plans and the RHA said that four main principles should be brought out in the review. These were that: • each form of transport should be encouraged to provide the services it is best fitted for; 111 no measures should be imposed which would restrict or protect any form of transport; 8 road haulage should provide competitive services on their existing scales; and that laws were needed to improve the status of the professional road haulage industry.
The RHA based its memorandum on the basic point that trade, industry and the community depended on the lorry because it had advantages over railways and waterways — advantages like speed, flexibility, cost and low damage and loss factors.
It had to be faced that chances to move goods by rail were relatively few and compulsory transfer could not be justified on economic or environmental grounds. It was an acknowledged fact that a 50 per cent increase in rail ton nage would cut road traffic by only 1 or 2 per cent.
From this it followed that productivity in t he r oa d haulage industry should be increased. The RHA therefore proposed an increase in the maximum permitted weight to 40 tonnes; amendments to EEC hours and distance restrictions; and the fundamental revision of the Docks Work Bill.
On the question of additional taxation or charges the RHA said: "Any proposals to seek compensation for alleged social casts would raise serious questions.