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Hope for the Industry

17th January 1941
Page 11
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Page 11, 17th January 1941 — Hope for the Industry
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

RECENT pronouncements by the Minister of Transport indicate that thefl intensive campaign which is being waged to obtain better conditions for road-transport operators in respect of supplies of spare parts and new vehicles, is having considerable effect in Government circles. So long ago as July the National Executive Committee of the M.A.A. stated the case for road transport before the then Minister, emphasis being laidupon the importance of the repair and maintenance side.

At that time little or no result was achieved. Further efforts were made in October and November as a sequence to the-presentation of a most -emphatic statement regarding the peril in which commercial road transport found itself, and the certainty that if matters were not taken in hand immediately only a few months would see the industry in a most parlous condition: Already the proportion of -vehicles held up for want of spares or for lack of repair facilities is sufficiently high to cause grave concern.

We assisted, as members of the special honorary committee of the National Executive Committee, in the preparation of the document which was laid before the Government, and which, we are assured, is now receiving the most careful consideration, whilst Mr. G.. Lucas, chairman of the special committee, has referred to our leading article of January 3, "Road Transport Dying While Ministries Fiddle," as "not only a brilliant piece of Writing, but a weighty contribution to the cause."

The Minister's Promise of Attention It appears, therefore, that at last something is at least in process of achievement, and the Minister himself has given an assurance that immediate attention is being devoted to means by which the supply of spare parts and of new vehicles can be expedited and increased. We must still emphasize, however, that there must be no half-measures in any efforts which are made in this direction.

Those manufacturers who built the vehicles which are in particular need of parts, and they and others who, are in the position of being able . to produce new vehicles if the requisite quantities of steel, light metals and other materials be supplied, must receive the last-named at the earliest possible moment. Here is a task of extreme importance for the new organization set up a few days ago by the Government, and which is designed to deal with all vital matters of production for the war effort.

Even as we write, news comes of the transport difficulties confronting such important concerns as those producing antiseptics, supplies of which are being held up through want of road transport.

The importance of efficient distribution has now reached the point where it almost outweighs that of production. From every side now come these calls on the services of commercial road vehicles.

Better Appreciation of Road Transport A great difficulty is that the more the value of road transport is appreciated, the greater becomes the demand for it, as being the only means for salvation. This is, of course, very flattering to those who have always held the view that road transport is one of the most vital factors in our war organization, quite apart from the tremendous part it plays in the conveyance of goods and commodities for trade and industry during the days of peace, and who have done their best to make the Government and the Nation aware of this, both by' their public utterances and through the columns of the trade Press.

Despite the needs of the military and other authorities, the requisitioning of commercial vehicles from operators should cease forthwith. They must look to the manufacturers for future supplies. Our industry has already suffered so many depredations that it has become a question of making these good, rather than adding to them.

The stage which we have reached is now so serious that, in many instances, vehicles already employed upon what might well be considered as essential transport are being transferred to other spheres of activity which must be regarded as even more urgent. This is, with a vengeance, the adoption of the policy of " Robbing Peter to Pay Paul."

There are not wanting indications that, eventually, theā€¢ Government may appoint a Director of Road Transport. If anything in this way be attempted it need not necessarily be such as would interfere unduly with the ownership or general control of civilian transport, but a means for organizing to ensure that the vehicle fits the job; that alone, with the huge number of vehicles concerned, would prove a colossal task.

Road transport has always prided itself upon its individuality, and it is this probably that has been more instrumental than any other factor in building it up to its present magnitude and efficiency. Whatever be done, it is, in our view, of real importance that this individuality should not be lost permanently, but temporarily; all our energies and resources must be devoted to winning the war. That is our immediate concern and must remain in first place.


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