Ask BCC first, Quin pleads to Eurocrats
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1iRITAIN's bus and coach operators appealed this week for full consultation by the EEC before it goes ahead with plans to give foreign operators freer access to the British market.
The EEC Commission is investigating how it can deregulate international coach traffic as part of' its policy of creating a free transport market by 1992.
Most of its work has been concentrated on the road haulage market, but EEC transport director-general John Steele told the Chartered Institute of Transport this week that it is beginning to look at passenger transport, too.
But Bus and Coach Council director-general Denis Quin pleaded with him to consult fully with the bus in dustry before pressing ahead with any measures which will give foreign operators access to local traffic in Britain and British operators access to European traffic.
Quin, still smarting from what the BCC feels was "halting" consultation over the recent review of drivers' hours rules, does not want a reView of coach and bus rules to be a mere appendage to a regulation geared to the needs of goods transport.
"Can we hope that anyone coming to Britain for our passengers will have to meet British safety and professional competence rules?" Quin asked Steele. "Will he have equality of opportunity and no advantage?"
According to Steele, the theory of the EEC's policy is that any approved carrier should have access to the profession in any market, but Quin indicated his members are more concerned about foreign companies gaining access to the British market.
Steele added later: "For cabotage (the carriage of traffic in or between other states in the EEC) we are saying that member states may have whatever regime they want, but should treat people from outside in exactly the same way as they treat their own."
This appears to come closer to the BCC's aim of preventing Continental operators from gaining an unfair competitive advantage.
The BCC was planning to meet EEC officials on January 31 to discuss these plans, but the talks have been postponed at the Commission's request.