Minister still on the fence
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WILLIAM Rodgers, the Transport Minister, is still sitting on the fence making up his mind which way to jump on the major transport issues. And it will be at least six months before any action is taken.
That became clear last week when Mr Rodgers made his most important speech since taking office.
Speaking to the Institution of Highway Engineers in London, he presented himself as all things to all men. Road building was a vital part of total industrial investment, but there was no prospect of any increase in public expenditure on transport "in the foreseeable future."
A White Paper on transport might appear in about six months' time.
He went on; "We shall make no progress if we rest only on our prejudices and promote narrow and self-interested views."
It was not possible to construct a national transport policy which failed to recognise the significant part that both road and rail must play and the legitimate, but widely differing, demands of all sections of the community.
As a member of the Cabinet, Mr Rodgers said that he had to play a full part in tackling all of Britain's problems.
The current economic situation and increasing restraints on public spending had to be the starting point of future policy. There was no chance that transport would get more _money.
However, "all of us here" were aware of. the firm evidence of the industrial value of roads. If a road was improved, the lorry driver could make one more delivery, the salesman one more call. All these were as potentially worth while as any direct industrial investment.
The Minister didn't forget the environmentalists, either. "We should try to reassure and convince by being ready to examine our own methods and assumptions," he said.
The Minister said that he has taken steps to set up a committee to look into methods of appraising trunk road schemes.