A LETTER to the editor of the Oxford Times concluded: "Next
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time you see a lorry, smile at the driver. It will be a nice change for him."
The letter was from Frank Lewsey, known to many CM readers as a tutor with Road Transport Correspondence Courses, who tells me he wishes I could persuade other readers to put road transport's case on specific issues to their local papers.
He wrote to the paper after reading its report, "Blow to lorry campaign", that only eight people turned up at a protest meeting regarding the Vale of White Horse DistrictCouncil's decision to allow the Central Electricity Generating Board to supply Didcot power station with coal by 60 lorries a day from next January. The application had been for 200 lorries.
Joe Weston, chairman of Oxfordshire Friends of the Earth, was reported in the Oxford Times as saying that his organisation was by no means disheartened by this small attendance and was "working on plans for some sort of direct action to get this decision overturned".
Frank wrote that the decision was common sense, providing some sort of protection against the next inevitable rail strike. For good measure, he went on CO praise lorry drivers and operators "beleaguered by oppressive legislation and virulent opposition from the more frenetic conservationists" and nevertheless continuing to bring us our daily needs.
Good one, Frank.
I wonder whether some of our other correspondents who press us, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Road Haulage Association, Freight Transport Association et al, to do more in this direction, are equally energetic.
By the way, Frank, a number of women drive commercials. All right if I smile at them, too?