Private test cuts accidents
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THERE WAS a four per cent decline in goods vehicle accidents between 1969 and 1977, against a 21 per cent drop in car accidents, says Mr Ken Rogers, vice-chairman of the Road Haulage Association (CM, March 22).
On looking back over the last 15 years or so, one immediately thinks of Mr Ernest Marples, the Conservative Government Minister of Transport during the 1960s, who ordered "blitz" roadside checks on heavy commercial vehicles to prove to Parliament (I believe) the need of a heavy goods vehicle testing scheme.
This, as we now know, came into being in 1968 at about the same time as operators' licences. I believe these two Acts of Parliament have played a large part in producing the figures quoted by Mr Rogers.
Ironically, the present Government have decided to "privatise" the heavy goods vehicle testing stations. This will probably bring the scheme into line with the private car testing. How will the accident figures read in ten years' time?
D. MURTAGH Wythenshawe Manchester