"I am on Your Side"—but B ROADLY, I am on your
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side and so is the Government," said the Minister of Transport, Mr. A. 1'. Lennox-Boyd, at the conference dinner. He qualified this statement, however, by pointing out that he had to look after the taxpayers, who had contributed £30m. in compensation to hauliers. He wished to sweep away the 25-mile limit at the earliest moment and wanted the C-licensee to remain free. Hauliers must place their trust in those who had to see the whole picture.
Many times he stressed the Government's desire to give the industry its freedom, but added that freedom for one meant freedom for all. He never wished to see one form of transport secretly protected at the expense of another. If protection were necessary, it should be open.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd was disappointed at the lack of support accorded to the Transport Bill by people who ought to understand the problems involved, but he paid tribute to the R.H.A. for its "polite, helpful but vigorous" suggestions.
He was replying to Mr. Bernard Winterbottom, national chairman, who put the industry's ease and pledged the Association to support the Government He pressed for " some immediate relief" foy hauliers and asked the Government to have second thoughts on the Bill.
Many hauliers had lost, without compensation, part of their business as a result of the 1947 Act, Mr. Winterbottom estimated that if the 25-mile limit were lifted directly the Bill was passed, the Road Haulage Executive would lose only 5-6 per cent, of its traffic. There were only 9,000 vehicles capable of carrying 6 tons and over, in the hands of independent hauliers.
"Give the existing industry the freedom promised and the transition from State to free enterprise will be more smoothly accomplished," he said.
Other speakers were Mr. R. H. Farmer, vice-chairman, and Cllr, Peter Fairhurst, I.P., Mayor of Blackpool.