Mr. Noel-Baker on the Future of Transport
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LAST Friday a meeting of the Road and Rail Central Conference was addressed by Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, Parliamentary Secretary, 111, of W.T.
Mr. A. E. Sewell, joint chairman (rail side) said the Conference recognizes that the prosperity of transport depends upon that of the trading community, and has no desire to place the latter in a difficult position. After summarizing the restrictions placed on both road and rail, he concluded by saying that it would be helpful if, when the time is ripe, some indication of the Government's plans for the future could be given.
Mr. Noel-Baker expressed pleasure that the Conference had ben formed on a voluntary basis. Transport would be vital to the country and world in reconstruction. It would be bad if the industry reverted to the pre-war position in respect of rates, and if it went back to cut-throat competition. The Government's new ecOnomic policy
would be one of expansion. The ordinary man should be made to feel that he is primarily a consumer and not merely a competitor in the struggle for existence and. work. International transport here would flourish or languish in sympathy with the industry and production of the world. He stressed the need for the compilation of a table of comparative rates.
Mr. R. W. Sewill, chairman (road side), hoped the" Government would allow the two interests to put up for themselves a scheme for future working rather than that something should be imposed upon them_ During the previous morning the Road Panel discussed the broad principles upon which road costs ought to be assessed. No regard was paid to the railway system of charging, and it is quite clear from the investigation being pursued that the question of costs is not quite so easy of solution as it is sometimes thought to be,